


Fire and Ice

by TariSilmarwen



Series: Titanverse [2]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Bickering, Domestic Fluff, Double Dating, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Minor Injuries, Relationship Upgrade, Self-Indulgent, Titans Oceanic, argent's dad is a dick, some minor robstar and flinx in a couple chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:42:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 64,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22011268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TariSilmarwen/pseuds/TariSilmarwen
Summary: Human and alien. Hot and cold. Hot Spot and Argent. A series of one-shots dedicated to the pairing of two Honorary Titans.
Relationships: Isaiah Crockett/Toni Monetti
Series: Titanverse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1530074
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Pet Names

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my self-indulgent collection of fic about my favorite Honorary Titan ship.
> 
> Takes place in the same continuity as "Titans Tales", so Argent and Hot Spot are on a team together operating out of New Zealand with Herald, Jericho, and Wildebeest.
> 
> Enjoy!

Argent felt like smacking him.

Okay, so it wasn't like she'd never had a nickname before. Her mum had been fond of calling her "Sugarbean" when she was younger. One of her old boyfriends called her "'tonia" or sometimes "princess". Heck, she'd gone by Toni most of her life, instead of the infinitely more embarrassing "Antonia".

So she really had no reason to be upset.

Argent massaged her temple with an exasperated sigh.

For some time now, Hot Spot had been taken to calling her "'gent." Not Argent, not her real name Toni, just 'gent. And for some odd reason, it annoyed the ever-loving bejeezers out of her.

She hadn't said anything at first, and that was probably what made it stick. And now, even when she _did_ say something about it, he always forgot and went right back to calling her 'gent. Which annoyed her even more than the actual nickname.

So five minutes later when Hot Spot suffered from short-term memory loss and addressed her with that accursed nickname, she lost it.

"Stop _calling_ me that!" she snapped irritably.

He turned towards her in surprise, as though he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Calling you what?"

"'gent!"

"Oh." He blinked and if he'd been powered down his eyebrows would be scrunching up right now. "What's wrong with it?" he asked.

Argent felt a bit of heat in her cheeks as she turned away from him, crossing her arms. "Makes me sound like a boy," she mumbled.

"It does not!" Hot Spot protested.

"It does so!" came Argent's rather juvenile retort, as she swung back around to face him.

"Okay, _how_ does it make you sound like a boy?" Hot Spot challenged, crossing his own arms.

"It's short for gentleman."

Hot Spot looked at her skeptically.

"Oh come on! Don't tell me you've never 'eard anyone address a group of men as 'gents'!"

"Actually I haven't."

Argent narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe you."

Hot Spot dropped his arms to his sides and clenched his fists defensively. The heat radiating off him increased in intensity and small tongues of fire emanated from the back of his head. "Well it's true. And anyway, why should it matter? Why should you care about a stupid nickname?"

In a huff he stormed off, leaving a trail of steam behind him as he went.

Honestly, how could he be so dense?

"Maybe because I have t' listen to you call me by it," Argent muttered.

-TT-

Needless to say, the argument did nothing to dissuade the hot-blooded pyro from continuing to call his silver-skinned companion by the same annoying nickname. Argent was now beginning to wonder if he was doing it on purpose just to irritate her. Somewhere in the back of her head she had a nagging suspicion that he _liked_ making her angry. So for a few days whenever he used his "pet name" for her, she ignored it and pretended it didn't upset her at all. Remaining cool and aloof would do the trick, she thought.

"Hey 'gent."

Or not.

Argent simmered as she brushed past Hot Spot on her way to the main room. This was becoming almost unbearable. She'd have to bring in reinforcements on this one.

Or…

She turned around and watched Hot Spot's receding back. She _could_ try fighting fire with fire.

A grin spread across her face.

Oh, this was going to be fun…

-TT-

A few days later, as the Titans Oceanic sat around the dinner table, Argent spotted the perfect opportunity and seized it with enthusiasm.

"Pass the salt, 'gent."

"Sure thing Spotty."

Herald almost choked on his food as he dissolved into a fit of laughter. Wildebeest made several deep-throated noises that _sounded_ like laughter and even Jericho covered his mouth in silent giggles.

Hot Spot was not amused.

" _What_ was that?" he asked irritably.

Argent gave her teammate a smug grin. "You 'eard me. Spotty."

"And since _when_ did you decide to call me that?"

The silver-skinned girl nonchalantly flicked her fork in a casual gesture. "Well, since you refuse to call me by my full name and insist upon referring to me with an embarrassing moniker I thought it only fair that I should 'ave a nickname for you as well."

"And I suppose you're going to keep calling me Spotty as long as I call you 'gent." the pyro guessed, glaring at her.

"Yup!" Argent chirped brightly.

The other three boys snickered, waiting for Hot Spot's reaction. It didn't come until a few minutes later after everyone had gone back to their dinner.

"Could you pass me the butter, 'ge— _Ar_ gent." Hot Spot quickly caught and corrected himself.

It was a genuine smile of satisfaction that she gave him this time as she held out the plate for him to take.

"Sure Hot Spot."


	2. Offspring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired after browsing DeviantART. You know how artists like to cross characters together to see what their kids would look like? Yeah. A few did that for Hot Spot and Argent and I thought it was funny how they were all gothic pyrokinetics.

"Hot Spot?"

"Mmm?" the pyro acknowledged.

Argent pushed the cereal around in her bowl with her spoon.

"If we ever have children I hope they have _your_ fashion sense and _my_ powers because heaven forbid I ever give birth to a gothic pyrokinetic."

Caught off guard by the comment, Hot Spot accidentally attempted to breathe in his orange juice. Naturally the orange liquid didn't like that and immediately lodged itself in his windpipe. He choked and spat it out with a fit of coughing. Droplets of juice sprayed across the table. Across from them, Wildebeest uttered a growl of protest as some of it splattered on his arm.

Once Hot Spot was finished getting his breath back, he looked at his female companion with an incredulous stare.

Argent cringed a little in embarrassment. "Just a thought," she told him shrinking down in her seat.

Hot Spot sighed and grabbed his napkin.

"I wish you wouldn't have these kinds of thoughts at breakfast."

Wildebeest voiced his agreement with a grunt.


	3. Couch Cuddles

Hot Spot sat on the couch, clicking the TV remote as he aimlessly surfed through channels. His head was leaning on his elbow and his posture slouched in a very bored manner.

_Sports game… news… news… more news… that weird zombie flick… game show…_

In the middle of his flicking he didn't notice his pale-skinned female companion approaching until she was blocking his line of sight. His eyes glanced up at her briefly but she soon passed by and he promptly returned them to the rapidly changing channels on the television.

He yawned.

To his sudden surprise, Argent joined him on the couch.

"Scootch," she said, before shoving him over a little and leaning her back against his side. Cracking open a thick magazine, she drew her feet up to the cushions and made herself very comfortable. The pyro could feel the soft skin of her back against his torso. And her shoulder blade was digging into his ribs, not uncomfortably, mind, but still enough to be noticed.

He watched her awkwardly for a moment. The arm that he'd been leaning on hovered uncertainly in the air, the space it had been taking up now occupied by Argent's frizzy black hair.

"Um…" he said, hesitantly drawing attention to the fact that he was in a very awkward position.

Argent didn't seem to hear. She shifted a little against his side, and he felt the pressure on his ribs ease up.

He still didn't know what to do with his arm. He looked down at the girl leaning against him. She seemed very comfy where she was and showed no signs of moving. The TV light flickered against her skin. Her attention was captured almost completely by the page she was reading. She felt warm against him. He had to admit, this was kind of… cozy.

He watched her read a few moments longer.

 _Ah, what the heck,_ he decided, lowering his arm around her and gently resting his hand on her stomach. Argent seemed generally content with this and nuzzled against him tickling his neck with her hair.

Hot Spot dissolved into a lazy, relaxed euphoria and allowed her to cozy up against his side as he once again turned his attention to the TV and resumed channel-surfing.

_Sitcom… soap opera… hmm, there that's spy show Argent's so fond of… maybe I'll watch that…_


	4. Chocolate

_If I never see another valentine again I'd just about die from happiness_ , Argent decided, as she sighed and tossed yet another heart-shaped card into the dustbin by her desk, which at this point was almost overflowing with the glittery cardboard confessions of love. On the desk above her right arm was another pile of valentines. Those were from the nice boys, the ones she was actually flattered by and was taking the time to write thank you notes to. The ones in the waste basket were from the creepy ones, the ones who signed their cards with the words "Call me." or included some variant of the word "sexy" in their lyrical praising of her.

Off to the side was a third, much smaller pile of valentines. Those were from her teammates—and various other Titans from around the globe—and would soon find a special place mounted in her scrapbook. A bright pink one covered in gold glitter was from Starfire, wishing her, "The best of luck in love on the day of St. Valentine's." Bushido's was as endearing as ever, what with him being the Titan girls' unofficial big brother and all and using the proper Japanese suffix of address to demonstrate it. Jericho of course had been an absolute sweetheart when he gave them all their valentines that morning at breakfast. (Argent had also been quite thrilled to watch him give a serenade over the Titans mainframe to Kole, being something of a hopeless romantic herself.)

Fact, there was only one person she'd been expecting a valentine from who hadn't actually given it to her yet. 'Course he was probably just waiting until the other boys weren't looking; Isaiah was remarkably skittish when it came to things like that—

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Speak of the devil…

Smiling, she pushed her chair back, stood to her feet, and walked over to the door. She punched the button and watched it slide open to reveal her pyrokinetic teammate.

Hot Spot was avoiding eye contact, an embarrassed flush in his cheeks, and he was fumbling with something in his hands. Argent leaned against the doorway.

"'lo," she said casually.

He shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, um…" He held out the red box to her. "Here. Since it's Valentine's Day and all. I thought I should get you something."

Argent took the heart-shaped box, a surprised, delighted expression coming over her features.

"Chocolates? And here I was only expecting a card." She looked up at him. "I'm impressed."

"I couldn't remember which was your favorite kind, so I just got a mix." Hot Spot explained as Argent cracked open the box for a peek inside. He watched her silently. All this mushy stuff made him feel awkward. He'd much rather be out fighting criminals than trying to live Valentine's Day down without killing himself. Or giving the other boys a chance to tease him.

"I notice you waited until Herald and Wildebeest were _out_ of the Tower before you gave 'em to me," the New Zealander observed coolly, as if she could read his thoughts.

Hot Spot coughed. "What's your point?" he managed to say, insides heating up defensively.

"Nothing," Argent replied. "Spotty," she added.

"'gent."

She giggled. "Give us a kiss love."

His eyes darted down the hallway, heart giving a flip. "What, now? When Jericho could stumble across us at any minute?"

Argent shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not? Jericho won't tell. And after all..."

She leaned in towards him, beaming.

"You're my favorite kind of chocolate."

At the compliment, Hot Spot had to allow himself a smile. Growing confident, he closed the distance between them and gave her a peck on the cheek, which she gleefully received.

"You're cute when you're flirty," he told her.

"Don't knock it."

He started away. "See ya later then… sweetheart."

"Happy V-day love."


	5. Concerns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Delves a bit into Argent and Hot Spot's comic backstory.

A flaming dart sizzled through the air and burst on contact upon the red circle in the middle of the board. Hot Spot took a minute to catch his breath, then launched another blast of flame at the target. Again it streaked across the empty space and hit the board. He repeated the maneuver. He was a little off, but his aim was definitely improving.

He paused a moment to cool off. His breath came heavily. There was a faint sizzling sound from his sweat evaporating. And something else shuffling in the back—

"Mind if I sit here?"

He turned to see Argent standing behind him. She pointed downwards at a stack of training mats.

Hot Spot stared at her, a little puzzled. She didn't usually sit in on his training sessions. He made the room unbearably warm, she said. It was a little muggy right now. He could see her forehead shimmering with perspiration already. Still, if she really wanted to sit and watch, he wouldn't stop her.

"No. Not at all," he told her.

She stepped around the mats and sat down, crossing her legs and resting her hands comfortably on her knee.

Hot Spot turned back towards the target and resumed his practice. For a long while there was only the steady _whoosh!_ and _fwoom!_ of the flames flicking the through the air and hitting the target. The AC came on, adding a low hum to the otherwise quiet room, and venting out some of the heat he was giving off. He stole a glance back at Argent. She wasn't really watching him, not even looking at him really, more like staring off into the space he just happened to occupy. Her mind was somewhere else entirely it seemed. He shrugged, fired up one of his hands and then—

"Do you ever worry about going renegade?" Argent asked suddenly.

The arch of his throw wobbled and the fire dart fell short as his attention turned back to the silver-skinned girl.

"Renegade?" he asked in between his heavy breaths.

"Our alien-halves," she clarified. She pulled at the edge of her glove uneasily, gazing downwards. "Do you ever worry that maybe, one day, they might… take over?" She looked up at him, a nervous anxiety in her eyes and written on her face.

Something about the troubled tone in her voice struck a chord of unease in him. He almost felt ill.

 _Our alien-halves taking over… jeez,_ ** _that's_** _a scary thought._ He grimaced uncomfortably. It wasn't like the possibility had never occurred to him; he just didn't like to think too much about his… their… unique inheritance. It hadn't exactly been a _pleasant_ experience finding out the fact that they were… human-alien hybrids. About the only good thing that had come out of their 'activation' and subsequent abduction was his friendship with Argent. The pyrokinetic powers were a plus too.

Now that she'd brought up the idea of them _taking over_ though…

It occurred to him that she was still waiting for his answer. He tugged at his collar. "I haven't really… thought about it much," he confessed.

"Mmm," Argent acknowledged quietly, gaze dropping once again. She continued to tug at her glove fretfully.

Concern for his friend took hold of him. "What made you ask?" he said, coming over to stand by her.

"I've been 'aving a few nightmares is all," she mumbled.

"What kind of nightmares?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

Her eyes rolled a little. "The wake-up-heart-pounding-in-a-cold-sweat kind," she said.

"No, I mean—" Hot Spot backtracked quickly. "What's in them?"

"Oh. Well…" She stopped fiddling with her glove and clasped her hands in her lap. "Just replays of the abduction mostly… being back on that ship… and hearing voices… talking about us like we were lab rats."

She lifted her eyes to him. "What if the H'san—I mean—" she corrected, "—the aliens who made us programmed a berserker mode in us, some kind of genetic trigger to set us off and make us…" She waved a hand hopelessly. "I dunno, go evil or somethin'."

"I think you've been watching too many sci-fi movies," Hot Spot told her, cracking a smile.

She glared at him and his smile dropped, concerned look once again taking over his features.

"I don't think you should worry about it," he said, shifting closer to her. "If there was something dormant in our DNA waiting to be set off, it'd have been set off by now. We're not sleeper cell agents anymore Argent," he said, tone serious. "We're awake and active. And _not_ under the H'san Natall's control. You don't need to be scared about genetic triggers or things like that."

She listened soberly as he spoke, taking in his words calmly and without objecting. "I s'pose not," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"And hey," Hot Spot added with a warm smile, "I'll be there for you if you ever need me."

The expression of worry gently and visibly lifted from her face and the black-lined corners of her mouth turned upwards. "Thanks mate," she told him gratefully, eyes shining. "That's really good t' know."

He nodded. Her gaze drifted. They both fell silent. The low hum of the air conditioner buzzed in the background.

Well this was awkward. Should he… hold her hand or something?

He settled instead for rubbing her back. His warm hand slid up and down over the leather of her shirt and her soft skin a few times before he stood up and brushed himself off.

Clearing his throat, he said, "I'm gonna… practice some more. All right?"

"Sure," she acknowledged.

He faced the target and charged up his palms. After a few minutes of watching him Argent got up and quietly left the room and the only sounds were the AC humming and the _fwoosh!_ of his flame darts once more.


	6. Understated

She didn't quite know when she'd fallen in love with him. It had been so subtle, so understated. She didn't even notice the transition. They were just so… comfortable around each other. It was only natural for them to share a little hug every now and then, an affectionate touch here, a hand on the shoulder there, a quick peck on the cheek to say hello in the morning. If anything had been unusual about their interaction it was only that the normally stand-offish Hot Spot allowed her to do so. Granted, she'd known him longer than the others, and they'd had a lot of time to become acclimated to each other.

It hadn't always been like that, she knew. There had been a time when Hot Spot was actually… shy and mousy. It had taken her a while to adjust to his new "Don't touch me." attitude and hot-headedness when she'd been put on Titans Oceanic with him. But she was pretty sure she was already quite fond of him then.

So… when exactly had it been?

She sat on the sofa, hands around her knees, and contemplated it for a while.

She decided it must have been that day she'd watched him tackle the obstacle course. He didn't know she was there of course. She'd stood quietly in the back of the gym as he took down drones and laser turrets, just watching him and thinking about him. She'd always liked him as a friend of course, but that was the day she'd started wondering what it would be like if he were more than that to her. As she'd mulled over the possibility she started thinking about how sweet he was, how caring he could be, how he was always there for her when she was feeling insecure or afraid. She thought about how strangely endearing he was when he was irritated at something. She thought back to their first meeting and how bloody _nice_ to her he'd been even when she was freaking out about the whole half-alien situation. She thought about how they'd bonded after that whole ordeal and kept in contact, supporting each other as best they could from long-distance.

 _You know,_ she realized, _he's probably the nicest boy I've ever met. I don't think I'll ever find another friend like him._

A funny feeling had come over her as her eyes followed every graceful move he made. A warmth spread inside her chest. Her extremities tingled. She almost felt feverish—and not just because of the heat in the room.

A wide grin had spread across her face. And she'd giggled. And for ten whole minutes after she'd left she couldn't stop smiling or giggling.

She was smiling now actually, the same exuberantly broad smile she'd had that day. The kind that told the world you were hopelessly crushing on someone.

"What are you so happy about?" Hot Spot's familiar voice broke in.

She turned to him, grin still firmly in place. "Oh nothing," she replied evasively with a small laugh, rocking back and forth a bit on the couch.

He gave her a weirded-out stare and then said, "Oh…kay then…" before turning to go back to kitchen.

 _He_ was still ostensibly oblivious. Argent shook her head a little. He'd come around. She probably wouldn't even notice the shift until after the fact. They'd continue to hang out and hug, interacting the same way they always did, but even so, the nature of their relationship would change. And one day they'd wake up and realize how they'd become so much more than just friends. That was just how their relationship was. Understated.

And as long as she could enjoy a few cuddles now and then, that was perfectly fine with her.


	7. Portmanteau

Argent was sitting at one of the computer consoles when he came in, clicking and flipping from webpage to webpage. Probably checking up on the latest gossip.

Hot Spot paid it no mind and headed for the fridge. He tugged open the door and dragged out the orange juice. Turning back around as he shut the fridge, he noticed that Argent had sat back in her seat and seemed to be lost in thought about something. He walked over to her as he screwed off the lid of the jug.

"Anything note-worthy?" he asked.

She glanced up at him and then back at the computer screen. "You know there's a poll on on what name squash the pressies should call Robin and Starfire?"

About the only thing that managed to pierce his brain properly was the Robin and Starfire bit.

"Name squash?" he asked, begging for clarification with his befuddled tone.

"You know, like when people refer t' a popular currently dating couple with one name that's an amalgam of both their names," she explained, scrolling down the page. "Brangelina, BenJen, things like that."

Now he understood. Somewhat. He leaned over and looked around her shoulder. "So… what exactly _are_ they calling Wonder Boy and his girlfriend?"

Argent grabbed the mouse, scrolled back up to the poll and rattled off the details like a news anchor reporting on election primaries. "Well, so far 'RobStar' is the most popular, but for some odd reason 'Starbin' has a pretty loyal following and is eking out the infinitely prettier-sounding 'Robfire'."

Hot Spot choked back a snort of laughter. "Starbin?" he repeated, unable to keep the smirk from his face.

The New Zealander nodded and shook her head wonderingly. "Sounds dreadful doesn't it?" she said. "Reminds me of dustbin and I'd rather not have the mental image of a trash can in my 'ead when people talk about our leader and his pretty lass."

"I hope it wins."

Argent slapped at his wrist. "Now that's just mean," she complained.

Hot Spot shrugged and straightened and wandered back over to the kitchen in search of a glass. As he poured himself some orange juice, he realized it had gotten quiet again. The sudden silence most likely meant his friend was deep in thought once more.

Her unspoken thought process made the air in the room remarkably heavy.

"I can hear your contemplation," he said.

"Hm?" She snapped out of her trance.

He gulped down his orange juice before he answered. "You do that a lot," he told her. "It gets kinda awkward."

She twisted in her chair to face him. "Not knowing what I'm thinking 'bout so palpably you mean?" she queried.

He nodded as he wandered back over towards her. "Yeah. It makes me wonder what's going on in your head."

She laughed a little. "Lots o' things Spotty. I'd tell you about it but a lot of it'd be so jumbled and scitter-scatter that you'd get confused." She rested her arms on the back of the chair and smiled coquettishly. "An' you wouldn't want that would you?"

She knew him too well. Still, it was nagging at him what her silent thinking earlier had been about. He tried to resist the temptation to ask her. She was making it overwhelmingly difficult with that charming girlish smile he was so fond of and her relaxed, almost sultry pose sitting on the computer chair.

He caved.

"So… what _were_ you thinking about?"

Her expression changed. A flash of mortification passed through her eyes and she quickly looked away, blushing a little in embarrassment. "Oh, well… I was wondering…" She slid her eyes back in his direction, head ducked, a shy smile on her face, the slight flush in her cheeks clearly visible. "What d'you 'spose they'd call _us_ if we were going out?"

A moment of awkward silence.

"Why do you keep asking such weird questions?" he deflected.

Argent tilted her head in confusion, the blush fading away. "How d'you mean?"

Hot Spot rambled on, anxiously trying to divert attention from the question and avoid giving an answer. "You do it all the time. You'll be lost in thought and then all of a sudden randomly spout out some question like how many kids do I want, what would our children look like if we were to have any, would they be half-aliens like us, what would my parents think of you. It's like—" He made a flustered, embarrassed gesture. "Why do you _care_? Why are you even _thinking_ about that?"

She slumped down in her seat and glared at him. "It's a girl thing," she grumbled. "Just humor me would ya?"

Great. His strategy at diversion had not only failed epicly but it had managed to get her irritated with him. Just great.

"Oh fine!" he consented, throwing up his arms exasperatedly. He thought it over for a minute or two, then shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe… Hot Spent?"

"…Heavens, I hope not. That sounds positively vulgar," Argent said, amused expression taking over her face.

Yeah, that one had been pretty much lame. Hot Spot scratched his head and tried to think of more. "Then there's, uh…" he said, racking his brain. "Tosaiah. Or Isoni. If they knew our real names," he threw out before looking to gauge her reaction. He was moderately relieved when a small spark of intrigue came into her eyes.

"Isoni's kinda pretty," she told him. Then she frowned. "But you'd better hope they _don't_ know our real names."

"Right," he acknowledged. That would be a bad thing. It was probably _not_ a wise idea to introduce their parents to the whole supervillain criminal underworld. Hot Spot ruminated on the implications a bit before his mind drifted back to possible name squashes. He had contemplated and dismissed several combinations before realizing what he was doing.

"Now see!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "This is why I hate it when you ask weird questions. Now it's gonna bother me all day!"

Argent flinched and ducked her head. "Sorry," she whispered, giving him an embarrassed, apologetic smile.

He waved her off and they both fell silent. Argent remained as she was, draped over the back of her chair, gaze wandering. Hot Spot plopped down into a seat nearby, still thinking of coupling names despite the fact that it made him uncomfortable and that it was all hypothetical anyway since they weren't even dating. Yet.

"Hot Argent?" he put out.

"Why thank you."

"No, I mean—" he said, feeling a rush of heat sweep over him. He made an exasperated gesture. "You know what I mean!"

"'course." She smiled and twisted her lower body back to face the computer. "But I like seeing you make that flustered expression." Her head turned towards the screen, she read over the webpage for a moment, then announced. "RobStar's got it love. 'fraid you'll have to find another name squash to make fun of."

"Darn it," Hot Spot mumbled, snapping his fingers in defeat. "And they were so mock-worthy too…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering my favorite is 'Hotgent' for them.


	8. First Act Twist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meta jokes ahoy.

Argent sat with her eyes glued to the screen, leaning forward, literally on the edge of her seat. She was catching up on episodes of her favorite TV show— _Becky Wilder: Teenage Spy_ —in the main room. It was late—past eleven actually—so she'd turned the volume down and pulled up a chair close to the TV so she wouldn't disturb the boys, who were probably asleep or getting ready to sleep by now.

The titular heroine of the series was currently on the trail of a notorious mob boss known as The Finch, a frequently recurring minor villain. Argent had been looking forward to this episode for ages. Rumor had it that the big bad of the first two seasons and Wilder's longtime arch nemesis, Death Dealer, would be back, having somehow survived the fall from the Lancey Building in the season finale. Argent was both thrilled and terrified at the prospect. On the one hand, Death Dealer was an amazing villain; cold, calculating, brilliant, smoothly charming. (She blamed it on his sexy voice.)

On the other, the man scared the bejeezers out of her. She _still_ couldn't manage to watch episode 15 without feeling a primal urge to cower underneath her chair and whimper pitifully.

She straightened and switched her attention back to the screen. Becky Wilder was snooping around a warehouse. Apparently it had a back room where Finch and his mobsters were meeting or something. But all of a sudden she whirled around and looked into the darkness.

Argent leaned in closer.

Now she could hear faint shuffling noises coming from the speakers. That was what had attracted the heroine's attention.

Her heart started pounding. This could be it!

Miss Wilder's gaze circled around the warehouse warily a few minutes. The shuffling noises continued in the background. Becky warily called out, _"Who's there?"_

All of a sudden—

"Argent?"

Argent jumped, gave a rather unladylike shriek, and toppled neatly from her chair.

Hot Spot cringed at the thumping noise she made when she hit the floor. "Sorry!" He rushed over to her side and held out a hand to help her up. "You okay?"

She took his hand and slowly stood up, eyes wide, holding a hand to her chest to quiet her still rapidly beating heart. "Bloody heavens Hot Spot! I was right before th' first act twist! You nearly gave me a heart-attack!"

He mumbled another apology as he dropped her hand, giving her a quizzical gaze. "What are you doing up so late anyway?" he asked.

She waved a hand at the TV. "Catching up on BW: TS episodes. Since the crime rate's hit a slow jot I thought I'd take advantage of the break. I'm about 'alfway through Season Three now."

"Cool," he acknowledged, crossing over to the TV and staring down at it. "I think that's been the best one yet."

She tilted her head a bit. "Really? I was rather fond of the first season's writing. Fast-paced with a lot of clever humor. This season seems a little too darker and slower for my taste." She came and stood next to him, watching the screen. "Though the romance has gotten decidedly better," she muttered.

He shot her a teasing grin. "What? You didn't like Becky/Phycus date?"

She punched his arm. "He was a _supervillain!_ "she protested, eyes flashing in annoyance at the notion. "She only went on the date so 'e wouldn't release those giant super-intelligent ivy things!"

"I dunno," he shrugged, sitting down on the couch in front of the television. "Some girls go for the bad boy type."

Argent joined him on the couch, propping her feet on the low coffee table in front of them. "Phycus strikes me as more of a nerd than a bad boy." Her face scrunched. "And I don't like good girl/bad boy romances anyway," she added, crossing her arms grouchily.

Hot Spot slung his arm over her shoulder absentmindedly. "Yeah," he said, nodding. "Jason's been a much better match for her."

She smiled and leaned in against him. "Glad we agree on that."

He returned her smile as he reached for the remote to turn up the volume. He clicked it up a few notches before settling back down. "They're a lot like us in a way."

She twisted her head towards him, puzzled look on her face. "How so?" she asked.

"Well, they're already friends and they're really comfortable around each other," he explained. "They tease each other a lot too." He let his eyes rest on her pale face as she looked up at him. "And they have those really awkward moments where they can sense some kind of romantic tension between them but they try to play it off like…" He stopped. In the dim blue light of the TV he thought he could see her silver-white cheeks taking on a shade of pink.

 _She's blushing?_ he wondered. _Why's she…_

…He suddenly felt very awkward.

"Like… um…" Was he sweating? He felt heat in his cheeks at any rate. He coughed. They both averted their gaze. "Not that… you know…"

"Right," she confirmed hastily.

Needing a distraction, they turned their attention back to the program. After a few minutes, watching what appeared to be a fight between Wilder and a bunch of faceless mooks, Hot Spot squinted his eyes at the screen and said hesitantly, "So… what exactly is going on?"

Argent's eyebrows furrowed. "No idea," she said, reaching for the remote in order to rewind back to where she'd been interrupted. She punched the button and slanted a glance at her companion. "You sure you're up for this? I'm still really behind on the episodes and it's already past eleven."

That might have been, but Hot Spot would be an idiot if he didn't take advantage of a late-night TV marathon on the couch with Argent when the other boys were all asleep. "I like this show," he said flatly, trying not to betray any emotion.

Her eyes lit up and she pointed a triumphant accusatory finger his way. "Ha! I've corrupted you, haven't I?"

"No comment." He'd let her think that. He suppressed a grin as she settled back next to him and pressed play. They leaned against each other's shoulders and lost themselves in the harrowing adventures of Becky Wilder.


	9. Banter

When Herald entered the common room, Hot Spot and Argent were already in a heated argument.

Well, it was heated on Hot Spot's side at any rate. Argent was just kind of standing there coolly with her arms crossed and an impassive if slightly annoyed expression on her face. The teleporter arrived just in time to catch the following exchange:

"You're behaving like an overgrown child," Argent remarked.

"Well, _you're_ behaving like a prissy spoiled rich brat!" Hot Spot retorted.

"That's because I _am_ one genius."

Herald sighed and crossed over to the couch where Jericho was strumming away at his guitar and Wildebeest was hard at work beating a level of their favorite video game. "What are they arguing about _this_ time?" he asked.

Wildebeest grunted and made a few gestures in the air. Jericho just shrugged.

In the background the argument continued.

"So you _admit_ that you're stuck-up?"

"I never admitted anything of the sort."

"Well you might as well have."

"If we're going to argue technicalities I suggest you hire a lawyer."

Herald had been considering picking up the extra game console and joining Wildebeest in the game but found that listening in on the quarrel between the New Zealander and the human flamethrower was actually quite entertaining. He half-turned his body towards their fight as he leaned on the couch. Hot Spot was powered up and glowing brightly. Herald could actually feel a little of the pyro's heat. Argent was still in the same relatively calm stance she'd been in when he'd entered.

Hot Spot took up the same crossed-arm position as he rolled his eyes and shot back, "Oh sure, like I can just whip out a thousand dollars on the spot like you can."

Argent made a small _hmph!_ "You're just jealous that my parents are richer that yours," she told him.

"Ha!" Hot Spot laughed, throwing his arms out. "As if I would _want_ to be surrounded by stuffy British snobs twenty-four seven!"

"Oy! No mocking the heritage!" Argent snapped, brows furrowing furiously and putting her hands firmly on her hips. "And for the record we're called _kiwis._ "

"I'm confused," Herald suddenly broke in. "Are you two fighting or are you flirting?"

Awkward silence.

Jericho stopped playing and looked over his shoulder at them. Wildebeest made a rumble in the back of his throat and paused the game. Herald straightened with a rather smug grin on his face. All three of them watched their two suddenly very quiet teammates, who seemed inexplicably unable to look at them. Or at each other.

"Well?" Herald prompted teasingly.

A moment or two passed. Hot Spot was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Wh-what—" he sputtered clumsily. "What makes you think-—"

The pyro cast a glance at Argent, who looked towards him at the same time then immediately whipped her head away at the split second of eye contact. She turned away from all four of them to hide her vibrant embarrassed flush and put a hand on her already warm cheeks.

"—that we're—" Hot Spot couldn't say it. He tried again. "—that we're—"

"'scuse me, I gotta go wash my 'air," Argent mumbled before making a hasty exit from the room. All eyes were on her receding back as she almost ran the short distance to the entrance.

The door swished shut behind her.

"I guess you were flirting," Herald shrugged.

"We were _not_ —" Hot Spot started, but as the other three almost casually resumed their previous occupations without acknowledging his outburst he stopped. He wrestled with himself on whether or not to finish his adamant denial of the insinuation but eventually decided that, at this point, it was no use trying to convince them. They wouldn't believe anything he said. "You know what?" he muttered. "Just forget it." He crossed over to the couch and slumped down into a seat on the far end from Jericho and Wildebeest. The blonde mute's eyes flicked up to him a moment before his skilled fingers picked out six notes—the beginning of "Let me call you Sweetheart"—on his guitar.

"Ha ha," Hot Spot said grouchily.

Jericho smiled and flipped to a new page in his music book.


	10. Frustrations

There were very few things that could honestly, truly, make Herald afraid for his life.

A highly irritated Argent yanking open kitchen drawers and cupboards haphazardly was one of them.

The silver-skinned girl gave a frustrated growl as she forcefully slammed a cabinet door closed. Herald twitched, tensing up on reflex, but Argent paid him no mind, choosing instead to rummage around the insides of another cabinet.

"Uh… looking for somethin'?" he asked hesitantly.

A drawer banged closed as she replied, "I'm trying to see if there's any of my mum's rum left over from Christmas."

_Oh great._

"What did Hot Spot do this time?" Herald groaned.

Argent fixed him with a cool, hard-edged stare. "I never said he had anything do with it."

Herald crossed his arms. "Girl, only three things around here ever made you feel driven to drink: Bad hair days, your parents calling, and Hot Spot." He gestured towards her. "Your hair looks perfect and I don't think I heard the Tower's phone going off so…" He trailed off and let the empty space speak for him.

Argent sighed heavily. She rubbed her arms and leaned back against one of the counters. "It's nothing really," she mumbled.

"No it's not. C'mon spill," Herald insisted.

"Quite frankly I'd rather not."

"Argent—"

"All right! All right! I just dropped him the most blatantly obvious hint and it flew straight over his head. Satisfied?" Argent blurted. She reached up and crushed a fistful of hair in her fingers. "An' to top it off I'm in a really bad hormonal mood…"

"Woah," Herald said, backing away immediately, hands raised. "Too much information."

Argent ducked her head. "Sorry!"

Herald coughed. "So uh… any way I can help?" he asked.

The New Zealander shook her head and turned around to look through the cabinets again. "Not unless you know where the rum is," she told him.

"Aren't you still underage?"

She shot back a glare that could have incinerated him and turned his bones to ash in a split second of horrendous agonizing pain. He gulped and managed to squeak, "Heh-heh. Never mind." He pointed towards the door. "I'll just—uh… yeah."

He was gone in a flash.

-TT-

Not more than half a minute later, the trigger of Argent's irritation himself wandered in. The flustered girl was still engrossed in her quest to locate the rum. Or failing that, a gallon of ice cream. Heck, anything greasy or sugary or otherwise highly unhealthy for one's body would suffice at this point. So it was no surprise that she didn't notice Hot Spot until the poor boy awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "Uh—"

"What?" she snapped, her head whipping briefly around in his direction before turning her attention back to one of the cabinets under the counter.

Stunned into silence, the pyro watched (or rather listened, as she was mostly sitting out of his sight on the floor) to her rummaging around for a moment. Every so often she tossed something out onto the kitchen floor. Small noises of frustration escaped from her lips.

Herald was right. She was definitely PMS-ing.

Hot Spot jumped a little as a pan hit the floor with a resounding _clang!_ As its ringing reverberations died down he shifted something in his hands.

"Um… are you… okay Argent?" he asked hesitantly.

Argent sat back on her legs for a brief respite. "No," she said flatly. "I'm positively _vexed_ and in dire need of alcohol."

Hot Spot held up the thing he was holding. "How about chocolate?"

The girl's head poked over the counter at him. Her crimson eyes were lit up with interest. "Chocolate?" she repeated, and her voice carried a slight but unmistakable hint of glee.

"Yeah… I kinda felt bad for blowing you off this morning," he explained, lowering his gaze to the counter. "It was dumb. I'm sorry." He looked up and found that she was standing, so he held out the box of her favorite chocolates to her and offered up an apologetic smile. "So I got you a peace offering."

She stared at the box. Hot Spot wondered if she thought it was going to bite her. "We cool?" he prompted.

Argent's eyes lifted to him.

And abruptly she burst into tears.

"Woah hey!" Hot Spot exclaimed, setting the box on the counter between them and then coming around it and taking hold of her shoulders. "What's the matter?"

"N-nothing," Argent managed to croak out. She could barely speak; her voice was choked up with near hysterical hormonally-induced sobs. "That's—that's just the nicest—" she hiccupped, "—thing you've ever done for me."

Hot Spot looked her up and down as he felt her shaking beneath his hands. Big wet tears dripped down her cheeks. He rolled his eyes. Jeez, girls were so-overemotional. "Well if you're gonna react by bursting into tears like a big baby don't expect me to do it again," he said, releasing her shoulders. Argent took the opportunity to rub her eyes furiously and attempt to blink her wayward tear ducts into submission.

"S'rry," she mumbled. "I just… that time o' the month ya know?"

Hot Spot clamped his eyes closed and grimaced. "I really didn't need to hear that."

A fresh burst of crying shook her small frame. Hot Spot sighed heavily and grabbed a couple tissues from a box by the sink. He crossed over to her, grabbed one of her wrists, and dabbed forcefully at her eyes.

"C'mon, stop it," he scolded. "You're ruining your eyeliner."

Argent inhaled a long breath then let it out slowly to calm herself down as he poked at her with the tissue. After a few more inhales and exhales like it, she felt her throat loosing up. Moisture still glistening in her eyes, she grabbed the tissue from Hot Spot's hand, blew her nose, then finished wiping off her face.

"Thanks love," she said, smiling for the first time that day.

He shifted uncomfortably, reaching around behind for the box of chocolates. "You gonna eat these or what?" he asked, holding it out to her again.

She'd torn off the top and ripped away the tissue paper inside before he could even blink. Taking the box from him and tossing away the paper she plucked one of the chocolates out and popped it into her mouth.

Her eyes closed in an expression of pure bliss. She made a breathy sound of contentment.

"You're welcome." Hot Spot turned to head back out. Before he got very far, Argent captured him around the neck with her arm and pressed her lips to his cheek. He blinked in surprise as she withdrew with a warm smile. She leaned back against the counter and absorbed herself in her chocolates and his hand drifted unconsciously to his face.

"Oh…kay then," he said, deciding it was best to just wander out of the room. He left his friend to her own devices and did just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha boy is it obvious what mood I was in when I wrote _this._


	11. Apprehension

She was looking uneasily around the restaurant again. Hot Spot didn't _quite_ blame her; she was the only girl in a rather rowdy group of boys, they were in a decidedly male-oriented eating venue, and she was still a little self-conscious being out in public, what with her skin coloration and all.

He just really wished she'd stop doing that whenever the Titans Oceanic went out to dinner.

"Cut it _out_ already," he groaned at her as her eyes finished yet another uncertain sweep about the room. His half-eaten breadstick dangled loosely from his hand, for the moment forgotten.

"I can't _help_ it," Argent told him, a jittery nervous expression on her face. She shrunk into her seat in an attempt to make herself smaller. "You know how uncomfortable I am around large crowds," she added in a low mutter.

Hot Spot pointed his breadstick in the general direction of the clientele. "This is hardly a large crowd. Maybe twenty, twenty-five people tops."

"An' they're all boys."

"So?" he countered.

She sent an annoyed look his way. "That in and of itself'd unnerve most _normal_ girls," she replied. She glanced briefly over her shoulder and then hid her face in her hands. "Oh lovely, those creeps in the corner are giving me the eye again."

He sighed. "You're being paranoid," he muttered, trying to resist the urge to look and see if, in fact, those creeps in the corner were giving her the eye. (He failed and felt his blood boil slightly at the mildly appraising and interested looks they had on her.)

Argent put her hands back down on the table. She tried watching the other three eat for a few minutes but that proved to be a poor distraction. So she turned back to Hot Spot. "Don't tell me you've never gotten the feeling that you were being watched," she said.

"Well yeah," he admitted. "Lots of times. We're heroes after all." Being scouted out by villains or curious citizens came with the job.

She leaned forward with an expectant expression. "Then you understand how I'm feeling?"

He hated to disappoint her. "Not really." Honestly, it was one thing to be apprehensive in a shady location where you didn't know what would pop out at you but a well-lit restaurant in the middle of downtown?

Argent exhaled a slow, slightly aggravated breath as she slumped back against the back of her chair. "Maybe you're right and I'm being a wee bit too edgy," she murmured. She rubbed her arms and looked around the restaurant again. "I just feel like everyone's staring at me."

Hot Spot finally put down his breadstick and gestured irritably towards the other occupants of the table. "There are five people in this group. Two are dressed in clothes more appropriate for a period film than downtown Auckland, one is wearing a freaking _cape and mask_ and is carrying a trumpet, and one is a six-foot tall human wildebeest. What makes you think they're all looking at you?"

Argent scowled.

"Didn'tcha hear? I'm paranoid," she said, crossing her arms. "Any minute now aliens are going to abduct me and perform all manner of heinous experiments on me. And make me bang some unlucky chap for research on human reproduction."

Hot Spot was unable to do anything but stare at her blankly for a few seconds.

Then he burst out laughing.

Okay so maybe the irony of their alien heritage wasn't something you were supposed to laugh at and she was probably confusing the definition of _paranoid_ with _delusional_ but Argent's utterly flat and serious delivery just had him in hysterics. Herald, Jericho, and Wildbeest stopped eating and glanced quizzically at him.

Argent leaned forward with a satisfied smirk.

"And now they're all looking at _you._ "


	12. Outing

The sunlight was warm and a cool breeze drifted in off the sea. Perfect weather. Perfect for what he had planned anyway. Now if could just muster up the guts to go up and knock on Argent's door.

He couldn't understand _why_ he was still hesitating. The two of them were alone in the Tower. The other three boys had all gone out somewhere to enjoy the nice day. He knew they wouldn't be back until at least sundown. And it wasn't like this was anything serious he was inviting her on, right?

So he should really stop wearing a hole in the floor.

Hot Spot gave an aggravated sigh, small tendrils of flame spiking up from his head. _Okay okay,_ he thought, _just calm down. You can do this. The worst that can happen is… second thought don't think about that. You'll just lose your nerve all over again._

Taking a deep breath to bolster himself, he finally moved out of the hallway he'd been pacing in down the route to Argent's room. He tried to keep his mind completely blank as he walked, feet automatically striding along the familiar way. All too soon he found himself in front of her door, hand raised uncertainly to knock on it.

_Well, here goes._

A couple quick taps and then he stepped back and waited. Within a few moments the door swished open partway and Argent poked her head out into the hall, crimson eyes brightening in recognition when she saw who it was.

"Yes?"

"Hey Argent," he said, surprisingly pleased at how steady his voice was. "I was wondering… since it's such a nice day and there's no one else around, maybe you'd like to go for a walk. Just the two of us."

Argent was quiet, contemplative. Her lips pursed. She pushed the door the rest of the way open. "What, you mean… on a date?" she finally asked.

His thoughtful, planned-out reply abruptly got stuck in his throat, as soon as he'd realized what she'd said.

He hadn't _quite_ been hoping she'd figure it out right away.

"No!" he tried to cover quickly. "Not a date, just…" His mind drew a blank. He mentally cursed himself. _Come on, think!_ "An… outing?" he finally managed to get out. "Between friends?"

She leaned against the doorframe, folding her arms with a very skeptical look.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay fine, it's a date," he relented. "I'm asking you on a date."

Argent struggled to keep her expression neutral. She could barely contain the gleeful smile that was edging its way onto her face. _About bloody time_ , she thought. Aloud she giggled and said, "I'd love to!" Maybe a little too eagerly, but Hot Spot didn't seem to mind or notice. She straightened up from the doorway. "But I'm not dressing up," she warned him.

"Fine by me," he acknowledged. "Hey, look, give me a couple minutes to change into something normal okay?" he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Will you be ready by then?"

She beamed. "You bet!"

"See you then."

-TT-

She was waiting for him once he got out of his room. He paused in the frame, powered down, now in baggy jeans and a loose t-shirt, and looked her over. She'd changed out of her normal outfit in favor of a white and black cotton top, tiered knee-length black skirt, and matching calf-length boots.

He raised an eyebrow. "Thought you said you weren't gonna dress up."

"You kidding? The way I look day in and day out in my regular ol' uniform this is practically dressing down," she said dryly. She put a finger to her chin, thinking for a moment. "Though they _are_ designer clothes," she admitted.

"Naturally," He took a hand out of his pocket and waved down the hallway. "You ready?" he asked.

"Do apples grow on trees?" she replied rhetorically, giving him a wry smile.

-TT-

They started out just walking the streets together, talking animatedly about a wide range of subjects. Argent drove most of the conversation; whenever she got particularly chatty about a topic Hot Spot's replies would limit themselves to generic grunts and murmurs. He didn't mind though. Her Kiwi-accented voice was very addictive.

Eventually they found themselves strolling along the beach. Argent started losing steam and that was when Hot Spot took up the slack, telling her about wacky hijacks he'd gotten into in high school, some of his adventures back in Morocco, meeting the Titans for the first time. His lady friend was quite content with letting him do the talking this time, putting in an occasional snarky comment or a good-natured ribbing.

Mostly she just laughed. He couldn't find it in him to be annoyed with some of things she laughed at (even at his expense). He could listen to that laugh all day.

The wind had picked up just a little and it ruffled her ebony hair and swirled her skirt around her legs. The sunlight shone off her silver-white skin. He decided this was probably the prettiest he'd ever seen her look. Aside from their first meeting of course. (Granted she'd been wearing very highly distracting swimwear at the time, having just been beamed up from her sixteenth birthday pool party.) He found himself running out of things to talk about. Long moments of companionable silence started stretch in-between their conversations, and he just gazed absentmindedly at her, and out to sea.

It was really nice.

"So…" he said casually, breaking the silence. "How many guys have you dated?"

Her eyes glanced up at him, then back down at the sand beneath her boots. "I dunno," she replied. "A few. At least five or six. It was high school, ya know?" she explained, scuffing the sand with her toe.

"Nothing too memorable?" he guessed.

"Not really. There _was_ this one boy back when I was fourteen, Adam, really sweet chap, kind of shy. Worked in a flower shop so he bought me flowers every other weekend or so."

Hot Spot nodded, acknowledging the information with surprisingly little jealousy. "Sounds nice," he told her sincerely.

"It was. That ended when he moved down to Queenstown, though." She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "An' then it was back to th' usual generic 'he's totally a jerk but he's rich and good-looking so I'm still going out with him anyway' types."

He snorted.

"Oh be nice," Argent scolded. "I was young and shallow and airheaded and had poor taste in men."

He ducked his head. "Sorry." He should really know better than to bring up her admittedly embarrassing former lifestyle. He quickly shifted subjects. "Who was the worst of the lot, do you think?"

"Tyler," she said automatically.

The way she said his name—with a lingering dislike and bitterness—made the pyro instantly dislike the mental image of the stuffy rich jock his mind was conjuring. "Who was he?"

Argent grimaced. "Cricket captain. Big snob. Lecherous, kind of egotistical. Dated him before we got abducted. Actually I was with him right before I got beamed up."

Hot Spot's mental image shifted to include the bikini-clad Argent and he promptly booted 'Tyler' out of the picture in hostility.

Argent picked at something under her fingernails. "Fortunately it didn't last long once I got back. Was a nasty break-up though." She sidled a glance at him. "You?"

The pyro looked down the shoreline. "You're the first girl I've asked out, actually," he admitted sheepishly.

She blushed, turning an adorable shade of pink, and averted her gaze.

For a moment they both fell quiet, listening to the sound of waves crashing on the shore, their footsteps on the dry sand, the occasional gull. The heat bounced off the white shores, warming their faces. The breeze continued to blow sweet salt air. Hot Spot kicked a loose rock away with his shoe. If he'd known this would be such a pleasant experience, he'd have gotten up the guts to ask her out a long time ago. His hand slipped from his pocket, he edged closer to her and brushed against her arm, his fingertips touching hers. She surprised him when she held his hand back, her pale white fingers sliding comfortably between his. Their eyes met, she gave a reassuring smile, then brushed another windblown stray strand behind her ear with her free hand.

They walked this way the rest of the length of the beach, hands held, white interlaced with brown, contentedly silent.

-TT-

Jericho was still out but Herald and Wildebeest were there at the Tower by the time they returned. The teleporter raised an eyebrow at them when they came in together, in plain clothes, talking and laughing.

"Where've you two been all day?" he asked.

Argent gave a shrug of her shoulders as she wandered off towards the kitchen in search of some eats. "Just on an… outing," she told him, giving Hot Spot a sly look. The pyro chuckled.

Herald stared. _Great,_ he thought. _Now they have in-jokes._


	13. Exposé

Hot Spot shuffled into the common room, suffering from late-afternoon boredom and a little bit of hunger. He made his way to the kitchenette and tugged open the refrigerator door, perusing the contents idly. He elected upon an unopened soda and reached in for it.

"Hey man," Herald greeted belatedly from the couch.

"Hey." Hot Spot's eyes flicked briefly over to the living area where the teleporter and their resident human wildebeest were seated watching the TV. Over by the window, in a yellow patch of sunlight on the floor, Jericho was squinting his eyes at the music sheets that surrounded him, his beloved guitar in his lap. Occasionally he flipped back and forth between two sheets, plucked a few strings, and then picked up a pencil and marked something down on them. Hot Spot could only assume the lad was composing something. He straightened and shut the refrigerator, breaking open the soda can and tilting the carbonated contents down his throat.

"Argent's on TV," Herald commented casually.

In the middle of a particularly long swig, Hot Spot's throat seized up, but he managed to swallow without choking. "She's what?" he asked, when he could breathe again.

Herald gestured with the remote towards the TV screen. "She's on some talk show or something. Look."

Hot Spot crossed over to the living area and came and stood by the couch, the soda in his hand forgotten for the moment. Sure enough, there on the screen, in a studio made to look like someone's warm and cozy living room, was the image of Argent, smiling a little nervously as she sat on the edge of a big yellow chair. Opposite Argent in an identical chair lounged a young twenty-something blonde woman, whom Hot Spot vaguely recognized from some of his channel flippings.

The young woman leaned forward in her seat with an animated look.

" _Now tell me dearie,_ " she said, _"what was the most exciting battle you've ever been in?"_

The Argent on the screen bit her lip with a brief, _"Um…"_ then launched right into a surprisingly well crafted answer. _"I'd say it was probably the last skirmish we got into against the Brotherhood of Evil with the rest of the Titans."_

" _This was the one at the Brotherhood's secret fortress in Paris right?"_ the interviewer clarified.

" _That's the one,"_ Argent confirmed nodding. _"It was chaotic. Heroes to left and right, villains all over the place, explosions are going up, and everyone's fighting and moving and trying not to hit anyone on the same team."_

That generated an off-screen chuckle from the studio audience. Fascinated, Hot Spot set the soda can down on the table and plopped down onto the couch, his gaze never leaving the screen.

Was it his imagination, or did Argent look even more gorgeous on TV than she did in real life?

Oh wait—it was probably the lighting and make-up, wasn't it? _Not that she needs it_ , he thought, deciding that the girl's level of gorgeousness was actually about the same.

He was gazing so intently at the image of her on the screen he didn't really hear the conversation that was going on. It surprised him when the interviewer laughed and said, _"Sounds like you've your work cut out for ya. But let's switch gears for a moment and talk about your personal life_ _—what's it like living with the other Titans?"_

In his periphery senses Hot Spot noticed the other boys leaning in.

Argent smirked cheekily, looking directly into the camera and, it seemed, into the living room. _"It can get pretty crazy sometimes and the boys can be a real pain, especially when they don't clean up after themselves."_

Wildebeest coughed, wiped his mouth, and began picking up the stray kernels of popcorn littering the area around him.

" _So they get on my nerves sometimes. But I love them. Ya know? They're some of my best friends and I wouldn't trade them for the world."_

The studio audience "aww"-ed.

" _Who's the easiest to get along with, do you think?"_ the interviewer asked.

" _I'd say Jericho."_ —small cheers from the audience— _"He's a real sweetheart, very gentle and good-natured. Never gets into arguments. In fact he's often the one who gets everyone else to calm down."_

" _And the adorable face and curly hair doesn't hurt either?"_ interjected the hostess.

Argent laughed. _"No, it doesn't."_

The interviewer nodded and then glanced towards her audience. _"Well I'm sure many of the ladies here would like to know, is he single?"_

More cheering.

" _Aww, I'm sorry girls, he's taken."_

The crowd expressed its disappointment. Herald, Hot Spot, and Wildebeest sidled a curious glance in the blonde's direction. Jericho blushed, ducking his head and hiding his face behind one of his music sheets.

" _Oh, too bad,"_ the hostess sympathized. _"How about you then? Any significant men in your life?"_

Hot Spot sweatdropped and began to feel very on edge. Argent had an adorable bashful smile on her face and was averting her gaze demurely. He could sense Herald and Wildebeest leaning in closer.

" _We-ell…"_ the girl drawled, hesitant. Though she might also have been purposely teasing the listening audience. Hot Spot confirmed this suspicion a moment later when his lady friend finally answered, _"There might be one…"_

The crowd 'oooh'-ed in excitement. Wildebeest actually got up off the couch and stood and peered into the television screen, as if staring intently to the pixels would somehow translate across the distance and weasel an explanation out of their friend.

Realizing the juice potential brewing, the hostess also leaned forward on her seat with an excited, almost predatory grin. _"Can you tell us anything about this 'mystery man'? Is he the same one that you were reported walking around downtown Auckland with a bit back?"_

Argent nodded. _"Yup. Same one."_

It took some measure of control for Hot Spot not to react to the revelation. He managed to look passably nonchalant. It didn't, however, dissuade the ever-perceptive other boys from glancing briefly in his direction.

And all his effort was blown to bits a sentence later when the eager hostess said, _"I heard a rumor circlin' 'round that this might actually have been your teammate Hot Spot. Is there any truth to this story? Can you confirm or deny anything?"_

Hot Spot mentally cursed.

Fortunately for both their public reputations Argent answered, _"I'm not at liberty to say I'm afraid."_ After the disapproval of the studio audience died away she added, _"I_ ** _will_** _say this: Hot Spot and I are… very fond of each other and it wouldn't be outrageous if, down the line, something happened between us."_

This seemed to pacify the crowd, who responded with more enthusiastic cheers. Hot Spot slouched in an attempt to blend in with the cushions. The conversation between Argent and the talk show host continued on in the background, but the damage had already been done. The other three were now openly looking at him. Herald's eyebrows were raised.

"Any of you say a _word_ and you'll be sitting on first-degree burns for the rest of the week," Hot Spot growled simply.

Herald held up his hands innocently. "I wasn't gonna say anythin'."

Jericho set down his guitar. _I can't say anything anyway,_ he added in sign language.

" _You_ ain't off the hook by the way," the teleporter said, pointing an accusatory finger at the mute boy. "I still wanna know about this girl you're seeing."

Jericho blanched and began hastily picking up his music sheets.

"Hey! Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Herald demanded, getting up and going to stop him. "Is it Kole? It's Kole isn't it?"

Ignoring the two, Hot Spot waited for the next commercial break and then pulled his communicator out of his back pocket and flipped it open. It buzzed a few times before a cheerful female voice picked up and answered, "Yes? I assume you just caught my interview on the telly?"

"Yeah," he told her. "Nice save back there by the way."

"Thanks!"

"But just so you know," he went on, bringing the communicator up to his ear to make the conversation a little more private. In the background there was a yelp from Herald, probably due to Jericho possessing him. "I'd rather we let the other Titans in on _our_ terms and not because it was squeezed out of us on live TV."

"Will do love. Oh! I'm being called back onstage now. Talk to ya later."

_Click!_

Hot Spot sighed in relief and devoted the rest of the half-hour to watching Argent's interview.


	14. Annoyances

There was only one drawback—it seemed—to it being general knowledge that she and Hot Spot had started dating.

Said drawback being the teasing the two received at the hands of their fellow teammates.

Unsurprisingly Jericho was the one who gave them the least grief about it, given his tenuous developing relationship with Kole and his own mild-tempered and sweet personality. Argent wondered what Herald's excuse was, though, as in spite of him having a long-distance girlfriend in the form of Bumblebee the teleporter took inexplicable glee at ribbing them every chance he got.

She didn't even want to think about the kind of insinuations Wildebeest might be lodging at them in his indecipherable animalistic form of communication. Which was still hard to figure out precisely even after being around him long enough to get a general understanding of his "language".

He had a bloody annoying snicker though.

"Hey," Hot Spot's voice broke in, drawing her attention back to the present. "You're drifting off again. Should I change the channel or what?" he asked, poking her in the shoulder.

Argent shifted and rearranged herself on the couch where she was sitting with her boyfriend, leaning lazily against his side. "G'head. See if there are any Becky Wilder re-runs on."

Hot Spot stretched out his hand for the remote, then settled back in his seat and flicked the channels aimlessly. His free hand played with a few strands of hair at the back of Argent's head.

From behind them there came the sound of snickering.

"Aww look WB, they're watching soap operas together."

The two rolled their eyes and glanced over the back of the couch with matching expressions of irritation.

"Becky Wilder is _not_ a soap opera," Argent corrected lividly.

Herald shrugged. "If you say so." Off to the side Wildebeest nudged him and grunted something. Herald chuckled and replied, "Yeah, looks that way to me too."

"That's because it's _exactly_ what we're doing," Hot Spot answered, turning his head back around to the TV and letting his arm drape around her shoulders.

"An' it really isn't that effective to tease us about something we're actually doing," Argent added. She'd understood that one well enough. "Now if you'd both be so kind as to _not_ _interrupt_ our 'snuggle time' as you've labeled it…"

"I take it the love birds want to be alone then?" Herald prodded further.

Hot Spot twisted back around and glared. "Sticking around but shutting up would be just as welcome," he growled.

Herald grinned. "Aw, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun."

Wildebeest grunted in agreement.

Argent sighed, reached up to touch the pyro's face and bring his attention forward again. "Ignore 'em," she told him. She focused her eyes on the screen and laid her head on his shoulder, paying no heed to the fresh burst of idiotic male giggles now coming from their teammates. She only half-heard the next round of teasing, though it was apparent from the way Hot Spot tensed next to her that what they were saying was highly irritating.

She tuned in at the next commercial break.

"You two picked out a _song_ yet?" Herald was saying.

"No, actually. We haven't," Hot Spot glowered. "What's yours and Bumblebee's? Some old love song from the jazz era?"

Unfazed at the jab, Herald countered. "I bet yours is some 80s pop tune."

Wildebeest put in a comment that made the teleporter burst into laughter. Argent felt Hot Spot warming up beside her in his aggravation, his internal heat starting to creep up. She felt moderately edgy at that, and wondered if there was anything she could say to calm him down before he entered his powered up state.

Amid concealing her own annoyance at what Herald and Wildebeest said next.

"Oooh wait—I got it! 'Disco Inferno'!"

A loud snort and a roar of laughter.

"What's that have to do with romance?" grumbled Hot Spot. His skin was still heating up. Argent bit her lip, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"C'mon… Burn baby burn? That isn't just the _perfect_ line for you two?"

The pyro simmered. Argent took the opportunity to nudge him and get his attention

"Speaking of burning, you're going to do just that in a minute if you don't calm down," she muttered in his ear.

Hot Spot shifted in realization and his skin immediately began to cool. "Sorry."

"Or how about 'Let the Flames Begin'?" Herald continued.

Wildebeest added his own suggestion.

"'Burning in the Sun'!"

And another one.

"Or how about 'On—'"

_WHACK!_

"Ow!"

Argent turned around curiously. Herald was rubbing his head, Wildebeest his arm, and in between them stood Jericho, who looked almost as irritated as she and Hot Spot did.

 _Would you two knock it off!_ he signed furiously.

"Sheesh, okay!" Herald muttered.

The New Zealander shot an appreciative grin at the boy. "Thanks Jericho!" she said.

' _Welcome._

She shifted forward again. Beside her, Hot Spot was calmer, but still tense. She shook her head and slipped her hand into his. "Watch the blood pressure there Spotty. Wouldn't be that conducive to cuddle time if you burst into flames."

His eyebrow twitched. "Yeah, but—"

"They're aggravating. I know." She smiled and rested against him. "You are too."

He huffed. His temperature spiked briefly, then settled back down. He put his feet up on the coffee table and slung his arm around her. "Shoulda known dating you would sign me up for this," he said under his breath.

"You dating anyone would sign you up for this," Argent told him, smirking. "Now shush. This is my favorite episode."


	15. Debris

Argent ran, stumbling and tripping in her blind haste. She scrambled up the mounds of rubble. Her shoes skidded and slipped, dirt and gravel scraped her knees and palms, got into her shoes. Her breath came in short, frantic, gasps. The tears streamed freely down her face but she didn't care. She reached the spot where she'd last seen him and plasma burst from her hands, forming into shovels that dug into the wreckage, shoving into the pile of rock and shrapnel, then lifting and tossing chunks haphazardly away. A couple scoops later even that wasn't fast enough and she resorted to scraping away the wood and jagged rocks with her fingers. The debris was heavy, and strained her arms. Splinters and crud got under her nails, but finally she rolled away one last boulder to reveal the inert figure lying underneath.

She froze to the spot, hardly daring to breath, until the figure coughed and groaned and Hot Spot sat up with a grimace, holding his head.

"Oh thank heavens!" she breathed, closing her eyes and sending up a silent thank you towards the sky. She glomped onto his chest tightly, burying her face in shoulder and he grunted in surprise. "Don't you _do_ that to me!" she cried, her fingernails digging into his back and crushing his shirt into wrinkles.

Hot Spot cringed at the slight stinging her tight grip was sending through his already very achy body. " _Jeez_ Argent I'm all right," he told her, putting his arms over hers and attempting to dislodge her. "Stop fussing."

She didn't let go. Hot Spot started to become a little irritated but that was before he noticed the clear streaks running down her face, how her small frame was shaking. How she was clinging to him even through the heat of his powers.

Concern made his eyes narrow at her. He stopped trying to pry her off and just looked down at her in surprise. She never got this close to him when he was powered up. He glanced up at the bits and piles of rubble surrounding them.

Holy…

He hadn't realized how much debris he'd been buried under. Had she moved all of that by herself? Catching sight of the dust and grime coating her arms he knew she had. He could see the scrapes too, so he also knew it couldn't have been easy. Adrenaline must have given her the strength.

And he must have given her quite a scare.

He sat stunned a moment realizing how close a call he'd just had. A soft breathy sob from Argent brought him back and he straightened up and drew her closer, rubbing her shoulders gently, carefully so he wouldn't accidentally burn her, even though he was pretty sure she wouldn't even notice it if he did.

"Hey… _hey…_ " he called to her, trying to break through her hysteria and get her attention. "It's all right. I'm okay. I'm whispered it over and over in her ear to calm her down. She only cried harder. She clung to his shirt and started coughing, shudders racking through her body. "Breathe Argent," he reminded quietly.

She gasped, inhaling sharply through her mouth and shook against him. He let her hang on him, holding her carefully.

When he thought she'd calmed down enough, he leaned back a little and asked, "You okay?"

She shook her head no. "Gimme a few more minutes," she mumbled into his front.

"Take as long as you need," he told her. "I'm sorry I made you worry like that."

That set her off again, and Hot Spot fell quiet and let her anxiety and panic run its course. He really couldn't blame her. Not in the slightest. Ever since they'd started dating he'd become a little better at reading her, a little more attuned to her thoughts and feelings. So he could sort of guess what had her so upset now.

She didn't like losing things. Especially members of her support system. He'd been there, albeit via long-distance e-mail, for the fallout of the 'activation' of their powers, for Argent's fall from the graces of high-society. What friends she'd had had, well, basically deserted her. Now that she had the Titans…

And it was even worse because of them dating. If this had happened while they were only still friends, well… actually she would _still_ have been upset, just maybe not as much since she didn't have so much invested in him yet. It was weird, being suddenly responsible for the welfare and emotional state of another. He was terrible at relating to people most days, and he had to constantly remind himself, especially around Argent, that anything that happened between them (or _to_ one of them, he amended mentally) could shift the dynamics of the team. Argent was like their anchor, like the glue that kept them organized and together. If something ever happened to her main pillar of support… namely _him…_ she could become unstable.

He cared about her too much to let that happen.

He sighed and hugged her again, futzing with her hair. It was hard enough trying not to die when he only had himself to be worried about. Love made everything more complicated.

She wasn't gasping as much now, and her shaking had subsided into small trembles. He brushed her cheek with his fingertips. From behind, he could hear the footsteps of the other Titans as they came up and then stopped awkwardly.

"Um… what…?" asked Herald.

Hot Spot looked over his shoulder at them. "You'll have to excuse her," he said. "She's being a little… emotional at the moment."

Herald's eyebrows raised but he put up his hands and backed away without comment. Turning to the side, he drew out his horn and opened up a wormhole back to the Tower. Since Argent seemed reluctant to move, Hot Spot decided to try and carry her. He carefully slid an arm underneath her knees and stood to his feet.

Which turned out to be a very painful mistake.

"Ow!" he yelped, as a sudden sharp pang cracked through his spine. Since his hands were occupied he couldn't reach around behind to hold whatever it was that was in pain, so he mostly just staggered and grimaced.

"I'm looking at that once we get back to the Tower," Argent muttered in his ear, removing herself from his arms and bracing him.

He nodded stiffly. "Yes ma'am," he managed though clenched teeth, still cringing.

She helped him limp towards the portal and together they left the debris behind.


	16. 16

"Ow!" Hot Spot complained as Argent finished tightening the new bandages.

"Stop fussing, I'm almost done," she told him. She tore off a strip of medical tape and secured the end of the bandage down. "Anyone ever tell you that for being a pyrokinetic and setting yourself on fire every so often you're immeasurably squirmy?"

"Yeah. My mom. All the time," he told her, leaning forward on the couch. Normally they would both be in the med bay for this but currently the room was taken up by Wildebeest, the _other_ victim of last week's attack (slashed shoulder, highly unpleasant). He had recently come down under a rather nasty fever and made it clear in no uncertain terms that anyone who attempted to enter the room while he was cranky and in pain (except for Argent, as she was the most competent nurse they had) would be swiftly and summarily mauled.

Hot Spot didn't mind though. He didn't much like hospital environments anyway.

Argent straightened up. "All done!" she announced.

"Can I put my shirt back on now?" the pyro asked wearily.

"If you must," the New Zealander told him, the glint in her eyes saying she would not mind at all if he left it off.

He rolled his eyes at his girlfriend and reached for his shirt. She showed her disappointment for only a brief moment before she moved off towards the kitchen, opening up the medicine cabinet and replacing the supplies back in there. "You need anythin'? Painkillers, a glass of water?" she called back over her shoulder.

Hot Spot pulled his feet up and leaned back into the cushions nonchalantly. It had annoyed him at first how much Argent seemed to hover and fuss over him after his relatively minor and completely non-lethal injury of last week, but now he saw the subtle advantages of it. "Nah," he told her. "Just the remote."

Argent shut the medicine cabinet and walked over, plucking the remote off the counter as she passed, then handing it to him once she was in range. As he flicked the TV on she perched herself on the edge of the couch by his feet.

A quiet moment passed.

"You know," the New Zealander said abruptly. "When that manic energy-wielding psychopath blasted you through the upper story I just about felt my heart stop."

"I believe you," he told her. "Herald and Jericho told me they'd never seen you so wide-eyed and stock still in their lives."

She sidled a glance towards him out of the corner of her eye, giving a sheepish smile. "They also tell you I very nearly killed myself just stupidly standing there?"

He blinked. "I think they left that part out."

"Oh," she said, flushing suddenly. "Well Wildebeest had to body-slam me out of the way of the firefight before I got incinerated. I told them later they could've just let Jericho possess me and move me out of the way _gently_ but the lad just sort of looked down at his shoes and said he didn't like possessing girls."

Hot Spot nodded. "Yeah, that would be kind of awkward." He shifted several times, trying to get comfortable, then made a face. "Hey, this pillow is kind of lumpy, do you mind getting me that other one?" he asked her, pointing towards the love seat.

Argent popped up and retrieved the other pillow.

Deciding to press his luck, the pyro added, "And maybe you could get me a soda? And how about a foot massage?"

She stopped in front of him and crossed her arms. "Now you're pushing it," she warned, unamused.

He shrugged. "It was worth a try." He gave her as charming a smile as he could muster. "Come on I thought you liked taking care of me."

She whapped him with the pillow and tossed it on his knees. "Get your own bloody soda," she laughed. Then she turned on her heel and went to make herself busy in the kitchen.


	17. Stormy Weather

"Oh great…" Hot Spot grumbled, looking out the window at the light gray drizzle pelting the Tower. The pyro glared darkly at the rivulets of water, his scheduled walk to the theater with Argent looking decidedly less pleasant now.

Behind him in the kitchen, his girlfriend was rummaging around, looking for a container to put the remains of her lunch in. "Something wrong love?" she called.

"It's raining," he said flatly.

"Yes, I'm well aware." Argent continued her rummaging, unperturbed, standing up when she found an adequate container. She put away her leftovers, stashed the box in the fridge, then straightened and snagged her jacket off the table with a big grin. "You ready t'go?"

"I don't like the rain," he groused, annoyed by her seeming inability to get how serious an issue this was for him. He hoped his frown and terse posture would clue her in.

Or not. She took a single cursory look at him and laughed.

"Well _obviously_ ** _you_** wouldn't like it," she said, amused smirk coming over her face. "I'm not terribly fond of it myself, 'specially in the morning. Tends to make my 'air limp," she joked.

"But we're still _walking_ to the theater?" he protested. He waved a hand at the downpour outside. "We'll get drenched!"

Argent shrugged, tugging her arms through the sleeves of her jacket. "So we'll take an umbrella. Honestly a few blocks out in it isn't going to kill you. Stop being a pansy baby about it."

" _I am not_ _—"_ He stopped when he realized his tone was, in fact, indicatory of pansy baby behavior. He rubbed his temple and sighed deeply, acquiescing. "Okay fine. You're right. I'm being a wuss about it."

"Glad we agree." She finished adjusting the jacket around her, her head tilting in concern at him. "How's yer back?" she asked. "Any pain?"

He rolled his eyes at her, picking up his own jacket. "I'm _fine_ Argent."

"Just checking." Argent crossed over to him and hooked her arm through his elbow, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Now are we jotting off to the theater or what?"

Hot Spot bit back a groan. Blast it all, why did Argent have to be so incredibly irresistible when she was chipper?

-TT-

Moments later (after Argent had stopped by the utility closet) the two were huddled together under an umbrella, attached at the arm, making their way across town to the movie theater. As they traversed the wet streets and slippery sidewalks, Hot Spot twitched at every puddle and splash, jittery of every stray drop that looked like it would even remotely miss the umbrella and hit him. Argent's growing agitation at his behavior increased perceptibly the longer they were outside and he didn't know yet how to respond to the annoyed question she was building up to ask.

It wasn't that he _hated_ the rain or anything just… his uniform didn't resist water quite as well as it did heat and soggy clingy underwear pulling at his sensitive regions for hours on end after being soaked was one experience he never wanted to repeat in his lifetime again.

A car splashed through the rivulet of water running by the curb and Hot Spot visibly flinched.

"Are you hydrophobic or something?" Argent asked, finally breaking the silence. "Seriously, the way you carry on it's like the rain has done you some kind of horrible injustice."

He bit his lip a moment as they crossed the street. "I had an unpleasant experience once," he summarized. "And…" His steps slowed them down a little, in tandem with his thoughts turning more sober and serious. "I just don't like feeling… powerless," he confessed under his breath.

"Ohh, right," Argent said, nodding in understanding. "Because water isn't a good environment for shooting flames."

"I can still power up in the rain," he insisted. Then he thought about it and added, "Somewhat… kind of…"

Argent gave him a skeptical look.

"Okay not really," he amended. "But it's like there's this heavy, cold, blanket of… ice just pressing down on me, threatening to snuff me out. And no matter how hard I fight it, it just keeps weighting me down. It's kind of scary," he told her softly.

Argent frowned. Then she leaned her head against his arm. As they stepped up another wet curb, she said cheerily, "Well… I'll protect you if it comes down to that. The rain doesn't bother me any."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Thought you said it makes your hair limp."

"It does. But I tend to classify that as more of a 'minor nuisance' these days," she told him. Glancing through the passing shop windows, she added, "Now getting my designer tops wet, that's a full-blown emergency."

Hot Spot noticed her drifting attention and pinched her in the side. "We are not stopping to shop afterwards," he scolded.

She pouted at him, withdrawing one of her arms from his. "Haven't got any money in my wallet any…" She stopped, frowning again, feeling inside her jacket for a minute. Her eyes widened. She let out a single, decidedly unladylike word.

"Argent!" Hot Spot exclaimed in surprise.

"I dropped it!" she cried in distress. "I _knew_ I'd felt—" She twisted around and detached herself from Hot Spot's arm, running out from under the umbrella, into the rain and back down the street. Hot Spot stood where he was, holding the umbrella a little awkwardly.

"Um…" he said uncertainly.

"I just need a second!" she called over her shoulder. "It wasn't far back. I remember where… I can see it. Oh thank heaven, there it is!" She rushed along the sidewalk and then hopped off the curb, already beginning to reach towards the puddle where her wallet had dropped.

Hot Spot stared and watched her hurried dash through the water and then blurted out a warning. "Watch out, it's kind of slippe—"

He couldn't finish because at that moment, Argent's foot slid out from underneath her and she toppled face forward into the puddle with a hard wet _slop!_ and a surprised gasp. Her front hit the standing water and sent up a small splash around the point of impact.

For a moment the two were frozen in an uncertain mixture of horror and humor.

…Which quickly broke into humor as Hot Spot burst out laughing.

Argent slowly stood up, setting her feet very carefully, pinching the corner of her wallet between her fingers and dredging it out of the puddle in the process. She turned around to face Hot Spot with a smoldering glare, her arms hanging stiffly at her sides, head slouching a little into her shoulders like a peeved wet kitten, her entire front soaked, the clothing clinging to her body, her dark hair limp and sticky around her face and dripping from the ends.

"It's. Not. Funny," she growled, ignoring for the moment the rain that still pelted her from above.

Hot Spot covered his mouth, holding in his laughter. He couldn't take her seriously looking like that. It was just too comical a sight.

"I'm sorry," he managed. "It's just—ha ha ha!—you were so worried about _me_ getting wet and then you—ha ha ha ha!—and now you look like a cat after its been forced to get a bath!"

"Isaiah, I swear, if you do not stop that infernal snickering this instant, you will regret it."

His laughs immediately turned into coughing and then stopped. "Sorry," he repeated.

Argent tucked her soaked wallet back into the inner pocket of her jacket, then shook out her arms and started walking back towards him. "It figures I'd get this jacket wet the first day I had a chance to wear it," she grumbled under her breath as she reached the safety of the umbrella.

Hot Spot shifted the umbrella to his other hand and opened his free arm to her. "C'mere," he said. "I'll warm you up."

Her face brightened, eyes shining. "Would you?" she gushed. "That'd be lovely." She slid her arms around him, underneath his jacket, and he settled his arm around her back, turning up his inner heat to a low simmer.

"Mmm…" Argent hummed, laying her ear against his chest as they resumed walking. The pyro smiled down at her and rubbed her shoulders.

As they went on their way, the wet fabric of Argent's soaked clothing slowly started to dry. Eventually she slipped her hands out of her sleeves and just let her jacket dangle from her shoulders, holding him around the midsection with her still chilly bare arms.

The rain started to let up a bit as they neared the theater. The sun even came out in a couple spots. Hot Spot gazed around at the glimmer the faint yellow light cast on the shimmering sidewalks. He glanced back down at Argent and grinned when he saw her eyes were closed in bliss.

"I take it you're not mad anymore?" he quipped.

She cracked an eye open, then smirked and raised her head. "All is forgiven," she told him. "You may live for now."

"Good to know," he chuckled as he reached for the door to the theater.


	18. Shipping

The lights were turned down this evening, casting low warm yellow halos across the walls. The happy couple had once again claimed their usual spot together on the couch. Argent had her feet curled up on the cushions behind her and leaned comfortably against the pyro's left side. Hot Spot had an arm draped around her and a bowl of popcorn in his lap, from which both he and his girlfriend occasionally picked. Their eyes were glued to the TV screen, watching as the events of the much-anticipated season three finale of Argent's favorite spy show unfolded.

Hot Spot was still behind on episodes so he was having a bit of trouble keeping up with everything and occasionally leaned over to whisper questions in Argent's ear. She replied with as many brief and succinct explanations as she could, though one inquiry about the origin of a particular offensive weapon took several commercial breaks for her to detail in its entirety.

Right now the female protagonist was with her closest male accomplice, ducking and hiding through the warehouses of hostile territory, in a desperate race to stop said weapon from going off and annihilating half the countryside with… something about condensed photonic solar energy, he'd kind of tuned out at that part. The two had taken a short break from the nail-biting slinking and grappling they'd been doing to avoid enemy sentries, and appeared to be gathering themselves before the final confrontation.

" _Sixty more clicks and we'll be there,"_ the girl announced, checking a small hand-held device in her palm. She put it away with a worried expression. _"We'll have to hack the main controls and get into the system before we'll even have a whisper of stopping the test fire. Then we'll have to battle our way up to top of the barrel, remove the power source and data crystals, toss in enough explosives to make sure they'll be picking the shards up for years to come, and then get out. Preferably in that order,"_ she added. _"I just hope the thing isn't too heavily guarded."_

The boy looked at her, grave concern in his eyes. And maybe the hint of something else. _"Becks?"_ he called hesitantly, uncertain

Beside him, Argent straightened with a perceptible interest.

In spite of things, the heroine onscreen managed a bright smile. _"Yes Jay?"_

The boy fumbled with something in his hands. _"In case we don't make it… I just want you to know…_ "

Argent made a sound like a small, excited squeal. Hot Spot glanced over quizzically at her. Her eyes were riveted to the screen though, and she took no notice of him. He shrugged and popped a few more kernels in his mouth.

"… _you're the best partner I've ever had the pleasure of working with… the best friend I've ever had and…"_

The two young people on the TV seemed to be inching closer to each other. Argent's hands were in front of her mouth, biting her nails.

"… _and I… I really…"_

" _Yes?"_

The distance closed. Argent seemed about ready to burst.

"… _I think I might…"_

She couldn't hold it in any longer.

"KISS HER YA _PANSY!_ " she shouted at the screen.

Hot Spot jumped at the outburst, flinging stray popcorn kernels out of the bowl. " _Jeez_ Argent!" he complained, as he leaned over to pick the pieces up. "Calm down!"

"But they've been dancing around each other for three seasons!" Argent protested, jabbing a finger agitatedly at the couple on the TV. "He likes her; he _knows_ he likes her, everyone on the whole bloody _show_ knows they've got a thing for each other! It's not _fair_ to keep dragging it out like this!"

Hot Spot settled back into his seat, the kernels all scooped back up. "Well, maybe it's their way of keeping people interested and watching the show."

"But they've certainly proven themselves capable of writing couples after they've gotten together, 'aven't they?" she whined, eyes scrunching, moving her feet off the couch and setting them on the floor as she shifted to face him. "I mean, lookit Iris and Robin! They hooked up middle o' last season and they're still just as darling and fun to watch as ever!"

The pyro sighed at his over-excited girlfriend. For someone who prided herself on her sense of calm Kiwi dignity, she could become incredibly excitable over the most inane things. He wondered. Were all girls like that or was he just lucky? He tugged her back against his side with the arm he still had around her shoulders. "Maybe they're just waiting for the right time. The perfect moment. You know?"

She slumped. "Oh, I s'pose you're right. But it had better be soon. It's already long overdue." She turned back to the TV. The scene had changed and the two plucky heroes were in the middle of a firefight. Argent peered at the screen. "What's happening? Did he kiss 'er?"

"I don't think so," he told her.

She snapped her fingers. "Drat," she muttered. "So close."

-TT-

The last half-hour of hair-raising adventure went by, with the two giving cheers, grimaces, and forward-leanings at all the appropriate moments. (Once, during a particularly harried scene with the primary villain, Argent even buried her face in Hot Spot's chest out of terror, which he did not mind at all to say the least.) Finally though, everything came to a head. The conflict resolved (with the obligatory explosion) and started winding down. Argent seemed content with what had unfolded during the finale. She didn't even mention her romance woes, assuming the fictional players would continue in their playful, evasive lovers' dance with the start of the next season.

So when the "pansy" slipped out from the midst of the victory celebration and went out onto the veranda with his erstwhile heroine love interest, Argent perked up and her heart started doing all sorts of flips and jolts inside her chest.

"Oh my gosh… is he doing what I think he's doing?"

Hot Spot smirked at her, watching her out of the corner of one eye while the other was glued to the screen. He was trying very hard not to be moved by this mushy romantic moment, but really. The lighting was perfect, the scenery behind them was implicitly beautiful; Miss Wilder looked angelic and had this really warm and pretty smile on her face…

"OmigoshomigoshOMIGOSH! YES!" Argent exclaimed as the boy reached out to clasp the girl's hand. "YES!"

The two shared some innocuous dialogue before the young man finished what he'd been trying to say in the warehouse, much to Wilder's surprise and perplextion. The boy merely smiled and leaned in towards her, closing the distance until their lips met.

Argent let out an uncharacteristic high-pitched squeal that rang painfully in Hot Spot's ears. He cringed and leaned away from her. She had the biggest grin on her face and was practically bouncing in her seat, making small excited claps with her hands. He shook his head at her, trying to focus at the make-out occurring on the TV. Argent seemed determined to include him in her celebration, though, whirling about and throwing her arms around his neck.

…It took a couple minutes for him to realize that _she_ was kissing _him_.

His body froze up, expression dumbfounded. That was… unexpected. He wasn't sure his girlfriend was even aware of her actions. About the only thing he could think coherently was, _Wow…_

Conscientiously or not, she was a darn good kisser.

Argent pulled away as the screen faded out and the credits started scrolling. "You were right!" she exclaimed jubilantly. "They were waiting and that was just the _absolute, most perfect moment,_ oh heavens I need screencaps of that right away!" She bounded off the couch over to one of the computer terminals, waking it up and accessing the internet in a matter of seconds.

Hot Spot stayed where he was, a dopey blissful grin spreading across his face.

"This computer's got a print screen option hasn't it?" Argent called back to him over her shoulder. "Do I press the Control key or the FN key to get it to copy?"

_Oh heck no_ , Hot Spot thought. _You can't just kiss me like that out of the blue and expect me to be able to speak straight._

"Press the what to get who now?" he bumbled unhelpfully.

Argent huffed. "Oh, you boys are useless!" she complained as she turned back around, peering at the keys intently.

Behind them, unseen, a certain blonde mute was busy holding in his own giggles. Quietly, he ducked back out of the doorway, hurrying along the halls until he reached Herald's room. He knocked on the door-three quick raps, his special signal.

The teleporter slid his door open. "Yeah, what is it?"

Green eyes bright and excited, Jericho signed, _Argent-initiated kiss._

Herald's jaw dropped. "Nah-uh," he said in disbelief.

Jericho nodded vigorously. _She got really keyed up about something on her show and gave Hot Spot a celebratory kiss._

"This I gotta see," Herald declared, shoving his door back and striding back towards OPS with Jericho following close behind. When they reached it they both crouched down and peeked around the edge of the opening.

Herald picked out the pyro first, observing casually. "Yeah… yeah…" he confirmed. His mouth turned upward in a smirk. "He's definitely suffering a little post-kiss catatonia." Herald leaned back into the shadows, hidden once again from the view of the two in the room. "Man, why didn't you get any pictures!" he protested, whapping Jericho on the arm. "There's no way Wildebeest'll give me the twenty bucks he owes me."

Jericho shrugged, then beamed and resumed watching their lovestruck teammates from a distance.


	19. Girlish Plotting

"So then the man just throws down his control and starts blubbering like an absolute pansy. _Worst_ excuse for a villain I ever faced, I tell ya," Argent twirled her hair around a finger idly. She was sitting in a warm yellow patch of late morning sunlight by the computer, leaning against the back of her roller chair, feet propped up lazily on the console. Her communicator was currently glued to her ear like a phone.

Behind her in the kitchen, Hot Spot was busy fixing himself something for lunch. He paid mild half-attention to the conversation his girlfriend was having.

"What about you love?" the New Zealander asked.

Starfire's voice hummed over the communicator. "I am… uncertain. We have faced many villains that may be perceived as 'lame'. However I believe the fiend who 'takes the cake' on this particular attribute is most likely the Control Freak," the Tamaranian told her.

Argent shifted in her seat, idly checking her fingernails. "Yeah? What's the worst he's done?"

"Although he has threatened the city a few times, his plots left something to be desired and he was always swiftly defeated," Starfire summarized. Argent could practically visualize the grimace on her face as she continued, "The most unpleasant stunt he pulled unfortunately involved myself…"

She paused awkwardly.

"Go on," Argent prompted.

From the kitchen, Hot Spot's attention switched to full out of morbid curiosity as he finished with the peanut butter.

Starfire reluctantly spoke up again. "He… erm…" she stammered, clearly embarrassed. "…made use of the blackmail in order to… request my accompaniment on a date."

Hot Spot had to stop what he was doing for a minute since his brain revolted against the mental picture he was conjuring of the Tamaranian princess and the pudgy unkempt supervillain on opposite ends of a café table. There wasn't a whole lot that could make him sick but that unpleasant scenario was definitely one of them.

Argent just made a face.

" _Ew,"_ she declared.

"That was my reaction as well," Starfire agreed.

"I hope you didn't go through with it," Argent said. She glanced over at Hot Spot, who was coming over from the kitchen with an extra sandwich he'd prepared for her and beamed as she took the plate with her free hand. Hot Spot moved back to the breakfast nook to eat his own lunch.

A weary sigh came over the communicator. "Sadly, I had no choice," Starfire relayed.

"Oy…" Argent groaned, setting her plate down on the console and putting her hand to her forehead.

"Robin was most displeased."

"I'll bet." The girl fell quiet for a moment, and then straightened to a more normal position in her seat. "You know…" she said. "I've really missed talking with you. You would not believe how much hearing another girl's voice when you're the only female in a tower full of boys heals the sanity."

Hot Spot sent her a disgruntled look from where he was sitting. The New Zealander noticed out of the corner of her eye and put her hand over the communicator for a brief moment.

"Don't look at me like that," she scolded. "You know it's true. You guys drive me batty."

His expression was now sufficiently apologetic. Argent's attention turned back to her communicator in time to catch Starfire's next words.

"I too have missed the girl-talk with you as well," the Tamaranian was saying. "Perhaps we should arrange a meeting in order for us to 'hang out'."

Argent lit up. "Oh that sounds lovely!" she gushed. Reaching over to the console she shook the mouse to wake up the computer and accessed her day planner. "When d'you want to try for? I'll make an appointment."

The voice on the communicator hummed as Starfire pondered. "Perhaps the fifth of March?" she suggested.

"That's a Tuesday isn't it?" Argent scrolled down to the relevant page and frowned. "Can't that day, love. Spotty and I are headed out to Ivytown to visit his family."

"Pardon?" Starfire asked, befuddled. "Who is this 'Spotty' and for what reason are you accompanying him on such a venture?"

The young lady pulled herself fully upright in surprise. "I didn't tell you? Hot Spot and I are dating now."

A loud excited squeal came from the communicator and Argent had to hold it away from her ear at arm's length. Her ears rang slightly and she cringed.

"That is exceptional news!" Starfire gleefully declared.

Argent chuckled to herself and pulled the communicator back to her ear. "Well, it hasn't exactly been news for about a month now, I've just never gotten around to telling that many people outside Titans Oceanic," she explained, stealing a glance at the pyro.

Starfire was still stuck in her happy squee mode.

"Oh we _must_ do the getting together for a double date!" she exclaimed.

Over at the table Hot Spot balked, coughing up a piece of sandwich he'd been chewing on.

Argent, however, was immediately taken with the idea.

"That would be so much fun!" she gasped. "I'd love to! When are you two available?"

"Now wait a minute…" Hot Spot protested. Argent paid him no heed, listening intently to Starfire as she rattled off various dates and something about forcefully prying Robin from his work. The silver-skinned girl took down appropriate notes. The pyro shoved his chair back and stood up.

The two girls' conversation carried on.

"And then perhaps an evening film?"

"Sounds good. Where should we go for dinner? I hear the _Étoiles et Lune_ is a lovely place."

"Ahem!" Hot Spot interrupted.

Argent looked up to see her mildly irate boyfriend standing beside her with his arms crossed. She blinked at him in confusion.

"Don't I get a say in this?" the pyro groused.

The girl grinned and twisted her chair around to face him. "Of course love," she cooed warmly, readying her pen to take down more notes. "When d'you think's a good time to meet up with Star and Robin?"

His voice was flat and humorless. "We're not going," he insisted.

His girlfriend immediately frowned. Her eyebrows scrunched down in displeasure and she tilted her head back towards the mouthpiece. "'ang on a second dearie, my boyfriend is being difficult and pin-headed again," she told Starfire, before covering the mouthpiece. As soon as she'd put the Tamaranian on hold, she stood up and drew herself to her full height, managing to look intimidating even though she was still shorter than him. Hot Spot uncrossed his arms and actually took a step back.

Argent glared icily, pulling out the expression the boys had termed Argent's You've-Put-Me-In-A-Bad-Mood face, the one that said 'You'd better have a good explanation for this' and 'You cross me you die' simultaneously.

Hot Spot felt his righteous indignation completely melting away in the face of her annoyed and dangerous ire. He was quite regretting opening his mouth now.

She jabbed a finger at his chest. "Now you look _here_ Mr. Killjoy," she told him. "I haven't seen Starfire—or any other gal pal for that matter—in _eons_. Are you _really_ going to put up a fuss and protest my once chance in a long while to get out and about with an old female friend?" she asked coolly.

He gulped. "No ma'am," he said quickly.

Her anger dissipated. "Good lad," she said, grinning and patting his shoulder. She sat back down in her chair and put the communicator up to her ear again. "Problem averted. You were saying?"

-TT-

"Come on, you can't think of _any_ excuse I could have to get out of this?"

Herald hemmed and hawed and finally replied. "I dunno. Isn't that kinda defeating the point of it being a _double_ date? I mean, you don't wanna leave Argent feelin' like a third wheel do ya?"

Hot Spot grimaced. "Well… no…" he managed.

Jericho lifted his hands to sign. _Though in all likelihood it'd probably be Robin who ends up being the third wheel_ , he pointed out.

Herald elbowed him hard. "Not helping," he hissed under his breath.

The boy flinched. _Sorry. Forget I signed anything._

"Seriously though, if you don't want to go just tell her," Herald went on. "Making lame excuses and ditching right before you're scheduled to go just makes girls mad. If you're honest with her, she might just take pity on you and show you some sympathy."

The pyro sighed heavily and raked his fingers over his head in aggravation. "Unlikely. She's dead set on this. She and Starfire couldn't talk about anything else for the rest of their call. But I'll give it a try," he said.

"Wait, wait," Herald interrupted, expression changing. "The girls planned this _together_?"

Hot Spot didn't like the nervous tone the teleporter's voice had taken. "Yes," he answered reluctantly, already dreading the reply.

A silence-filled pause.

"You're doomed man," Herald pronounced. "There's nothing that can change girls' minds when they plot these kinds of things in groups."

Hot Spot groaned and put his head in his hands. Well okay then. He'd just deal with it. Could be worse. His Argent could've been forced into a date with Control Freak.

…Okay now he was really going to be sick.

Jericho touched his shoulder and he looked up. The mute boy smiled and signed, _Look on the bright side. Argent'll be happy. And of course, she'll be all dolled up for dinner if you really need a distraction._

The pyro raised his head. "I guess you're right," he admitted, trying not to imagine Argent in the various slinky dresses she owned and failing miserably. The daydream was definitely helping to improve his mood, though. (Certainly better than the mental picture of her with Control Freak at any rate.)

_What's so bad about a double date with Star and Robin anyway?_ Jericho stipulated, folding his arms at the end of the question.

"Nothing," he said curtly, jerking his eye contact away. "I just think it'll be awkward."

_Nah really?_ Jericho signed sarcastically. _The Boy Wonder, a human flame-thrower, an alien princess, and a girl with silver skin all on a group date together. In public. What could_ ** _possibly_** _be awkward about that?_

"Don't rub it in," the pyro shot, turning on his heel and walking off to end the discussion. His voice dropped to a discontented mutter as he got further away. "The things I suffer through for her sometimes…"

"I swear, that girl has got you more whipped than whipped cream."

"Go _away_ you two."


	20. Family Matters

They were about ten steps away from the front porch when Argent—who had been fussing and fretting about this meeting the whole day much to the vexation of her boyfriend—abruptly got cold feet and stopped dead in her tracks.

"I can't do this," she declared, turning around and trying to head back the other way.

Hot Spot threw his gaze to high heaven in aggravation and grabbed hold of her arm to twist her forward again. He tried to guide her down the paved gravel path that led up to the nondescript front door of the house, but she dug her heels into the dirt and didn't budge. He grunted, pulling on her wrist. She may have been determined not to move, but he was stronger than her and had more leverage, so her shoes began to scuff and slide unwillingly across the ground. "This is ridiculous…" he muttered. Argent squealed anxiously as he practically dragged her towards the door.

"I can't do it!" she repeated, expression mortified. "This was a horrible idea! I'm never going t' survive this!" she continued overdramatically.

"Come _on_ Argent!" Hot Spot groaned, continuing to tug her forward. "They're my _parents_ not a bunch of slimy scaly lizardmen from the fifth dimension out to devour your soul. _Jeez._ "

Argent stopped dragging her heels quite as much but her worried expression didn't falter. "But what if they don't _like_ me?" she whined, eyes scrunching up.

"Oh for—" Hot Spot rolled his eyes and stopped, taking his girlfriend gently by the shoulders and looking directly in her face. "You're smart, pretty, modest, and conversational. _They'll like you,_ " he assured her firmly. "Now would you stop being such a hysterical worrywart about it?" He drew back to his place by her side and slipped his fingers around her upper arm again. Argent made a nervous unsure whimper but didn't protest this time and soon enough the two teenagers were standing under the porch light.

Hot Spot patted the girl on the shoulder reassuringly and reached to ring the doorbell. Argent watched the door, biting her lip. The door was busy looking very innocent and ordinary. She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

_Relax_ , she told herself. _You're taking this way too seriously. It's just his parents. You can do this. Just be calm and be your charming Kiwi self._

Feeling marginally better, Argent managed to smile before the latched clicked and the door swung inward to reveal a middle-aged woman with tired but bright hazel eyes and straggly black hair with a few stray strands of gray. Her face lit with a warm smile.

"Isaiah! You're here!" she exclaimed happily, reaching forward and enveloping the teen in a hug. "Oh, sweetie, it's so nice to see you."

Hot Spot returned the gesture, patting the older woman on the back. "Hey mom. Nice to see you too," he told her. He stepped back with an awkward cough and gestured to the girl beside him. "Uh, this is my girlfriend, Argent."

Argent put on her friendliest grin and extended her hand politely. "Pleased to meet you ma'am. I've been looking forward to making your acquaintance," she said, her accent a little more clipped and enunciated than usual.

"Likewise," Mrs. Crockett said, looking the girl up and down as they shook hands, expression unreadable except for her eyes, which shone with approval. The woman stepped back and waved them in. "Come on inside, dinner's just about ready."

The pyro slipped his arm through Argent's and they both wandered into the front hall. Argent immediately took to gazing about the place in curious awe. Directly in front was a long wood-panel staircase that led to the upper story. The hallway went on beside it, leading off to other doors at the end. To their left was the dining room, the table already set with glistening silverware, glasses and plates at each place. Wafting from a doorway in the corner of the dining room, which she could only assume led to the kitchen, was a myriad of pleasant food smells. (Argent could feel her stomach give a little growl, the juices beginning to churn from anticipation.) To their right was a spacious living room, replete with plush couches and several tall oak bookcases fully stocked with tomes—mostly law books it looked like, but there were a few sections with more recreational fare. A couple more books littered the low glass coffee table in front of the largest couch. The lamps were all on, so the whole general area was bathed in warm yellow light.

The young lady caught sight of several framed lithographs on the wall above the couch, and pulled her arm from Hot Spot's, gravitating towards the artwork with a gasp.

"Is that _Berliose and Cantata_? I've never seen the complete set before," she said in wonder.

"You know that piece?" Hot Spot asked her, puzzled.

She looked back over her shoulder at him. "Comes with the upbringing," she told him wryly. "Mum's an art buff. Drilled it into me practically any chance she got." The girl turned back to the lithographs, studying them intently. Hot Spot's brows rose, but he dismissed her with a nonchalant shrug. He shuffled about just in time to catch Mrs. Crockett's gaze.

"She's so pretty!" his mother mouthed at him.

"Uh, yeah. I told you she was didn't I?" he whispered in a low voice so Argent wouldn't hear.

"Well from how you described her in your e-mails I expected some freakishly pale lanky-haired gothic tomboy," the older woman deflected a little hotly.

Hot Spot rolled his eyes. "Gee thanks mom. Glad to know how little faith you have in my taste in women."

Mrs. Crockett peered around the living room doorframe at the New Zealander. "So… not a tomboy then?" she probed, looking to him.

The boy shook his head. "Girly," he confirmed. " _Very_ girly."

"I like her dress," she commented.

"You should. She spent an hour deciding what to wear," he grumbled. Despite his reassurances that she could show up in practically anything, the girl had insisted upon having the perfect ensemble for the occasion. After trying nearly two dozen different combinations and wearing him out to his last nerve she had finally gotten jittery and given up, and just left her uniform on.

His mom laughed, then patted his back affectionately. "Make yourself comfortable hon. I'll be out with the casserole in five or six minutes."

She started to move off but Hot Spot stopped her with a light touch on her arm. His eyes were scrunched curiously. "Where's… dad?" he asked, peering off down the empty hall in search of the man. "He's not bogged down with a hearing is he?"

"Oh no, not at all," his mother reassured him. She tilted her head towards one of the doors at the end. "He's in the master bedroom." She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "I think he's more nervous about this meeting than you are."

The pyro gave a chuckle. "What, my dad, the hard-nosed county judge, scared of something as trivial as _meeting his son's girlfriend?_ "

"Try not to rub it in," his mother admonished as she stepped into the dining room and continued on her way to the kitchen.

-TT-

"Honey?" Mrs. Crockett called as she pulled open the door to the master bedroom. "The casserole is on the table and the kids are hanging out in the living room. Have you finished getting ready?"

She had to restrain a laugh when she saw her husband fidgeting in front of the vanity mirror, struggling to do his tie up properly. He looked over towards her with a helpless gaze.

"Could you give me a hand here?" he asked. "My fingers don't want to work today for some reason."

The woman sighed, amused, and crossed over to him, taking the silk ends deftly and beginning to knot them the right way. "Don't be jittery dear," she crooned reassuringly as she passed the ends over each other. "It's not like this is the first time Isaiah's brought company home."

He made a gruff throaty grunt. "True but the 'company' usually isn't a singular teenage girl he's romantically involved with," he muttered. "Much less a superpowered metahuman one."

Mrs. Crockett finished with his tie and patted his chest, smoothing out the wrinkles in his starched white dress shirt. "She's _lovely_. And very polite. You'll like her, trust me."

"Don't I always?" he drawled playfully, easing his hands around her waist and pulling her in for a quick kiss. She obligingly returned it for a minute, and then pushed away gently.

"All right, enough stalling," she told him. "Come on out and say hi." She pulled on his arm, guiding him out towards the hall.

"You sure I can't just spend the whole night out on the back porch?" he teased.

"Like you would skip out on my casserole," she quipped back as they passed through the bedroom doorway.

-TT-

Hot Spot leaned over his girlfriend's shoulder. Argent's attention had moved on from the lithographs and was now scanning over the contents of the bookshelves. "See anything you like?" he joked.

Her crimson eyes glanced towards him briefly. "It looks like you own every law book ever written," she droned.

He grinned. "My dad's collection," he explained. "Mom's been bugging him for forever to get rid of them."

She giggled, standing on her tiptoes for a look at one of the higher shelves, her fingers flat against the wood edge. "What were you talking about with 'er back there anyway?" she inquired, spotting something that looked marginally interesting and pulling it down from the shelf.

"What?" Hot Spot asked, confused, then he realized what she was referring to. "Oh nothing," he brushed off. "She was just under the impression that you'd be a gothic tomboy."

Argent sidled her eyes in his direction. "What'd you do? Give 'er the description of a KISS member?" she questioned derisively.

He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Gee, silver-white pale skin, shaggy black hair, red kohl-rimmed eyes, and dark lipstick. I can't imagine how she could have come to the conclusion," he shot back sarcastically.

"My hair is not shaggy!" she cried, eyes widening in horror and one of her hands shooting instantly up to her head. "Is it?" she said in a small voice.

Hot Spot cringed and reached to take her hand in both of his, pulling it down from her hair. "No no, it's not. Ignore what I said okay? Your hair is fine," he assured her, petting her hand comfortingly.

"ORDER IN THE COURT!" a sudden blaring voice broke in.

Argent squeaked loudly and hid behind Hot Spot, clinging to him like a frightened kitten. Hot Spot looked up to see both his parents standing at the edge of the living room.

"Dad," he groaned. "You promised you _wouldn't_ make any courtroom impressions."

The older man chuckled. "Sorry son."

Argent collected herself, setting the book down on one of the shelves, and came out from behind her boyfriend to say hello. Hot Spot noticed she'd gone into High-Class Socialite mode, putting on an air of polished grace and refinement and giving a small genial smile.

"Mr. Crockett I presume?" Her accent was clipped again. She was making a deliberate effort to speak as clearly as possible. Must've been either her society grooming or her nervousness, Hot Spot decided.

His father stepped forward and extended a large hand. "I take it you're 'the girl'." His eyes gleamed a bit as he spoke.

She laughed. "Yes sir," she replied as she put her hand in his.

He shook it once then held it out from him, peering curiously. Her small fingers were practically drowning in his. "Wow, you're…" He trailed off, gazing quizzically.

Argent attempted to be helpful. "Pale? Well manicured?" she submitted for his consideration. "British?"

"…tiny," he finished as he let her have her hand back.

She blinked and then shrugged. "'course. I'm pocket-sized for your convenience." She clasped her hands behind her, one foot lifting and curling behind the other one, gaze drifting shyly. "I also come in red and black with removable accessories," she continued.

Hot Spot stared and his mother gave a light snort.

Mr. Crockett looked close to bursting into laughter.

The moment was interrupted when Mrs. Crockett cleared her throat and waved everyone towards the dining room. "I believe our food is waiting," she said.

The group broke and made their way across the hall. Hot Spot trailed close to his girlfriend and drew closer to whisper in her ear.

"Pocket-sized?" he repeated, befuddled.

"I'm nervous! I don't know _what_ I'm babbling!" she cried softly.

-TT-

Conversation around the dinner table was a bit hesitant and stilted at first. Argent stared straight at her plate, blushing furiously from her spout of random non-sequiturs. Hot Spot carried most of the dialogue, telling his mom and dad about what he'd been up to, what the other Titans were like, detailing some of the battles they'd been in. Finally Mrs. Crockett offered a compliment on Argent's outfit and a query as to where she'd gotten it, and the girl's face lifted, her eyes lighting up as she jumped eagerly into an explanation. From there, the topic shifted seamlessly into fashion in general, which Argent was well-versed in and so naturally quite chatty about. Having opened up the girl at last, Hot Spot's parents took turns quizzing her—and their son—on various other things; likes, dislikes, schooling, etc. The nervousness initially felt by all parties gradually dissipated. Eventually Argent even felt comfortable enough to slip back into her natural drawl.

Which Hot Spot did not mind at all to say the least.

Mrs. Crockett wiped her hands on her napkin and started up a new topic. "So… what are _your_ parents like? Do you get along with them?"

Argent conveniently had her mouth full the moment the woman asked. She coughed, grimaced, cupped one hand over her lips and held up a 'wait a moment' gesture with the other.

The older woman's face twisted apologetically. "Sorry. That was poor timing."

"Never fails," Mr. Crockett put in, taking a sip from his glass. "She always asks the most probing personal questions right when you take a big bite," he told them, eyes glinting with humor.

"It's not _too_ personal a question," his wife protested. She turned towards Argent. "Is it?"

The New Zealander swallowed her mouthful, glancing briefly towards Hot Spot, who was looking at her in concern. She waved both of them off. "No it's fine. Just caught me a little off-guard there." She cleared her throat. "Well…" she began, taking a small breath. "Dad's a representative in Parliament—"

"Politician huh?" Mr. Crockett interrupted gruffly.

"Now Adam, be nice," his wife admonished. "What's that mean exactly? Is it anything like being a member of Congress here?" she asked the girl.

Argent bit her lip, face crinkling as she thought over it. "Sort of. It's rather a bit complicated to explain. I _guess_ that's the closest equivalent though," she told them. Straightening, she continued, "Anyway, that's what he does and mum…" She paused and frowned. "Actually I'm not entirely sure _what_ mum does these days. She's kind of a stay-at-home but she's usually out of the house shopping or gossiping with friends or something and I think she freelances at a local design outlet." Seeing everyone's curious gaze on her she ducked her head and admitted bashfully, "I, er… don't really talk to them much."

"Yeah, before anyone asks, this is through no fault of her own," Hot Spot interjected. "Her family issues aren't exactly something she's proud of."

"What are you psychic now?" his father wondered, a little put out.

The boy grinned. "Just heading off the inquisition before it gets too uncomfortable for her," he explained.

"Which I'm grateful for but honestly can handle, Spotty," Argent said, mildly annoyed.

His mother stifled her laughter at the nickname behind her hand.

Mr. Crockett sat up in his seat and laced his fingers together contemplatively, fixing the girl with a quietly probing gaze, brown eyes intense in their studying. "You mind giving a brief outline? If you're comfortable that is," he added, eyes flicking to Hot Spot.

"Sure!" Argent piped. She set down her fork. "I was raised a spoiled rich girl and my parents, mum especially, were affectionate but always a wee bit distant and then on my sixteenth birthday I got abducted by aliens and 'ad my dormant superpowers activated, which freaked both of them out. After that I grew a conscience, moved out, and started hero work." She picked up her fork again and picked at the food on her plate. "But, yeah… Dad's pretty much disowned me," she explained. "I'm still on good terms with mum though."

"I see," Mr. Crockett commented simply. He unlaced his fingers and took his arms off the table again. "Well it's good to see that you're taking everything very maturely. I like that. That's a good quality," he said, smiling and winking at her.

She blushed again, turning a bright pink. "Thank you," she murmured quietly.

"So, what exactly are your superpowers anyway?" Mr. Crockett asked. "I don't think Isaiah's ever told us."

"I can form objects from red plasmatic energy. Sort of like Green Lantern, only it comes out my hands instead of an alien power ring."

"Interesting..."

-TT-

When dinner was finished, Hot Spot popped up to help his parents clear the table and all three of them disappeared briefly into the kitchen to take care of the dishes. Argent could hear their muted conversation and the soapy water sloshing in the sink as she sat where she was, tapping her fingers together, wondering what to do. After a bit, Hot Spot came back out and pushed his chair next to hers so he could sit with her. Immediately relieved, Argent reached out for his hand. He squeezed it gently, smiling at her.

"So, er… how 'm I doing?" she asked.

"General consensus seems to be that you're 'adorable'," he relayed.

"Well that's good." She gave a half-grin and leaned her elbow on the table. "I'm glad they approve of me."

"I'm glad they approve of you too," he agreed, scooting closer so he was brushing against her side. "You sure the questions weren't too personal?" he asked her anxiously. "Did you feel uncomfortable at all?"

She shook her head. "Not a bit love. Though I'm highly grateful for the concern. But really," she told him, letting go of his hand and gesturing. "I can handle a little grilling. Compared to the rounds of Twenty Questions I get at _my_ family's social functions—usually from complete strangers I might add—this was tea and crumpets."

He smirked. "Just checking. My dad can be a little intimidating sometimes."

Argent took her elbow off the table and turned more towards him, expression calm and happy. "I like your dad," she told him. "He's really cool, very genial and sophisticated. Got an aura of warm authority."

"What is this 'gush about my dad' time now?"

"Well not if you're going to be like _that,_ " Her eyes dropped to the table. While she was speaking, Mr. Crockett appeared in the doorway, hovering quietly just outside the dining room. Argent continued, unaware. "You've got a great dad Isaiah, you really do. I wish I'd had _him_ for a father." She beamed, lips pressing together trying to hold a chortle in. "Plus I think he could box some of our supervillains into next week."

"If they disrupted one of his hearings? Yeah probably." Hot Spot shrugged.

Mr. Crockett's heart went pitter-pat.

"Okay!" called Mrs. Crockett, as she entered the room, passing by her husband, a thick heavy album tucked under her arm. "Seeing as how we've yet to properly embarrass our son I think some show-and-tell is warranted." She sent a warning glance at the young Titan as she reached the table and drew the album out from under her arm and propped its spine on the table. "And Isaiah, if you set fire to any of these, I'm having your father revoke your license," she threatened.

Argent leaned forward in interest. Hot Spot felt his insides sinking with dread as his mother opened up the book.

He groaned. "Please tell me that isn't…"

His mother sent him a cheeky grin before turning to Argent, turning the book around and sliding it towards her. "Argent, these are Isaiah's baby pictures."

" _Mo-om!_ " Hot Spot bellowed, shooting to his feet indignantly.

-TT-

"Oh come off it Spotty. You were darling as a baby."

Hot Spot huffed and growled discontentedly as the two of them strolled down the walk together, hand-in-hand, her leaning on his shoulder. His mother had taken almost gleeful delight in showing off the album-full of pictures. Argent had sat and giggled over each and every one. It had taken all his self-control not to try and incinerate the whole photographic lot into ashes. "Easy for you to say," he grumbled. "They weren't your pictures."

"Come on, none of them were particularly embarrassing," she argued. "I particularly liked the one of you in your little elephant costume for Halloween."

"It's embarrassing on _principle,_ " he insisted. "And the ears made me look ridiculous!"

She giggled and sighed, giving up. "Okay, fine. But what exactly were you expecting? That's what parents _do_." Her mouth twitched in a small half-smirk. "I have to admit I may have enjoyed that bashful little tint in your cheeks entirely too much."

"Whose side are you on?" he complained.

She snuggled into his arm. "Yours love. Always," she murmured.

The coy undertone in her soft voice snapped off his irritation like a light switch. He lowered his head, curling towards her face. "Hey now, don't get mushy," he purred in her ear. "I might get distracted."

"I'd hold off on that. We're still in your mum and dad's yard you know," she reminded.

"…Good point."

They walked in silence for a while, the warm night breeze fluttering about them, rustling the leaves.

"This was a nice night," Argent commented softly into his shoulder, closing her eyes contently.

"Yeah…" he agreed. "It was."


	21. Family Unfriendly Reunion

Hot Spot was passing through the hallway on the way to his room when he noticed some rather odd scrabbling noises coming from behind Argent's door. Puzzled, he leaned in and pressed his ear to the metal. It sounded like she was digging through her closet.

_Where could she be off to?_ he wondered, knowing Argent only donned civvies when she was headed out of the Tower for something.

He rapped lightly on the door.

"Uh, Argent?" he called.

When the shuffling continued without answer or interruption, he frowned in concern and punched the button to open her door up. The panel slid aside and he stepped in.

Almost immediately, he was hit in the face with a flying blouse. Grunting in surprise he pried the garment away and tossed it off to the side, looking quizzically at his girlfriend. She was on her knees, rummaging around in the back of her closet, occasionally flinging articles of clothing haphazardly out of it.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Her head withdrew from between a couple of her dresses and she turned around. Her face lit upon seeing him. "Spotty! Oh, I'm so glad you're here." She got to her feet and came straight up to him, clasping his hands plaintively. "I have a ginormously big favor to ask you," she told him.

"I'm already roped into that double date with Star and Robin," he reminded her.

"It's not about that," she promised. "It's something else, and it's decidedly more unpleasant. But I promise I'll make it as painless as possible for you," she assured him, crimson eyes anxiously studying his face for his reaction.

Hot Spot nodded hesitantly. "Okay…" he said, letting her know he was listening.

The New Zealander put on her most crinkled and adorable worried begging face.

"Be my escort to a cocktail party this afternoon?" she pleaded.

Slightly surprised, Hot Spot relaxed. _That's it?_ he thought. _A cocktail party? What on earth is she so worried about? I can totally do that._

He sent her a slight grin.

"What's so bad about a cocktail party? I thought that was your element," he teased.

Argent made a grimace as she let go of his hands. "Normally I'd agree with you," she said, bending down to pick up a stray camisole. "However seeing as how _this_ cocktail party functions as a social gathering slash reunion for all my mum and dad's friends, acquaintances, fellow clubbies and politicians, and possibly even extended family members…"

" _That_ would be awkward," Hot Spot agreed immediately.

The girl gave a sheepish grin as she tossed the camisole on her bed. "It would really be nice to have someone else my age there." Her attention drifted and she put her hand to her lips, biting her nails softly. "And likely I'll need a shoulder to cry on before the end of it," she mumbled.

"What do you—" he started, then reeled himself back in with an abrupt snap. "Hold up—" he said, gesturing. "Politicians? As in your _dad's_ gonna be there?" he asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately," Argent confirmed glumly.

Hot Spot cringed in sympathy. Things were still rocky between the young heroine and her paternal figure. Being stuck in the same room with him, even with all the other guests there as a distraction, was bound to be trouble. The pyro bit his lip, feeling awful on her behalf already.

"And… you can't get out of it?" he guessed.

She shook her head. "I _have_ to be there. I already told mum I'd come and I hate going back on my promises." She kicked a skirt on the floor out of her way. "No matter how uncomfortable the situation," she grumbled. Collecting herself, she breathed out slowly, stretching her arms. "It'll be fine," she assured herself out loud. "It'll be fine. I just have t' look nice and be polite and stay at the other end of the room from him the whole time and there won't be any awkwardness." She slid her gaze towards him and put her hand lightly on his arm. "Your dad's a judge right?"

"Uh, _yeah_. You were there at that dinner with my parents, remember?" Hot Spot prompted her in a deadpan.

Ignoring his comment, she patted him on the chest, much like she would a puppy after it had behaved itself. "That's good. That's very good," she said, more to herself than to him. "He'll like that." She turned to go back to her closet and resume her rummaging.

"What, is he classist?" her boyfriend snarked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Argent replied, throwing her eyes to the ceiling briefly. She knelt down again and began sorting through the shoes on the floor.

Hot Spot looked to the door and shifted slightly on his feet, rubbing his neck. "Um, what should I wear?" he asked her.

"It's semi-formal," her muffled voice came from the interior of the closet. She leaned back out again, studying a pair of black high heels. "Y'don't have to be dressed to the nines, just wear something nice."

"Okay," he acknowledged, passing by her on his way to leave.

-TT-

Three and a half hours later, the New Zealander and her pyrokinetic boyfriend were among the dozens of smartly-dressed people crowding into the same rec hall in downtown Auckland. Argent had a half-empty cup of punch in her hands, more for something to hold than for something to drink, and she tapped her fingers idly on it. Hot Spot stood a little bit off to her side, looking very bored. He'd donned a clean reddish dress-shirt and black slacks for the occasion. (She thought it made him look rather dashing and debonair, but of course, she kept such thoughts to herself.) As for her, she had foregone her customary outfit in favor of a lightweight sheath dress with an empire waist, in pale floral print; overtop which she'd paired a pastel lavender sweater. The black pumps she'd picked out before now graced her bare feet.

She let her gaze roam around the room again, seeing far too few people she recognized and several less that she cared to remember. Though usually this kind of event was her natural environment, today she felt like she couldn't be more awkward and out of place if she tried. Her insides crawled with self-conscious awareness of her pale silver skin and red-highlighted bangs, which stuck out in stark contrast to the peach skin and clean-cut normal colored hair sported by most everyone else.

Catching the eyes of yet another person staring at her, she managed a timid smile. The man looked away, obviously embarrassed at having been caught gaping. It was a slight improvement from the people who'd simply averted their attention elsewhere and ignored her after she'd caught them. Argent let her gaze drop to the cup in her hands, as she swished the contents around to occupy herself. She hadn't seen anyone particularly contentious yet but she didn't know whether to be worried or count herself lucky on that end.

"You're fidgeting again," her boyfriend's voice broke into her thoughts.

Argent looked up from her swishing and met Hot Spot's brown eyes. "What of it?" she demanded. "I can be anxious if I want to be."

"You're driving me insane."

"Then look somewhere else. I've already got enough blokes gawking at me," she dismissed with a gesture of her cup. She raised it to her lips.

Hot Spot came around to face her and took hold of her hands, gently easing them back down. "Hey," he said quietly, rubbing his warm thumbs against her hands, his tone low and comforting, "I know you. You're confident, elegant, and a natural socializer. This doesn't have to be the social gathering from hell, all right? Just forget about the fact that your skin is freakishly pale and your grumpy unpleasable father is lurking around somewhere and try to have some fun. Can you do that babe?"

Argent's insides bubbled from the verbal praise and her expression brightened up significantly, beaming at him with wordless thanks. "Definitely," she verbalized happily. "I'm _so_ glad I brought you along," she added, gushing. Then she made a small frown. "Though if you ever call me 'babe' again, this punch is going straight up your nose," she huffed, tilting the punch cup for emphasis.

He laughed. "That's my girl," he said, moving around to stand by her side again. "Come on, let's say hi to some people."

"Sure thing." She paused a moment and tilted her head and her cup way back, downing the remainder of the punch in one quick gulp to boost her confidence, then she straightened up, set the empty glass aside and looped her arm through his.

Almost before he could think, she was pulling him across the room towards a middle-aged blonde woman in a blue dress and greeted her with a cheery, "Hullo! Remember me? I'm Olivia's girl. Jessie and I used to play together."

-TT-

After his pep-talk, Argent was much more comfortable and made herself at home in the party, circling the room to make sure she'd spoken to everyone she recognized (deftly and deliberately maneuvering to avoid coming into the vicinity of her father, he noticed). Eventually through this process they ran across Argent's mom, whom Argent proceeded to tag along with. The woman rather enthusiastically enjoyed this and wouldn't stop bragging about her daughter at every chance she got to every new and uninformed person who entered her social radius. Argent spent a good deal of this time blushing demurely.

Things were going relatively well; Argent seemed to be enjoying herself and not worrying, like Hot Spot had encouraged her to do, they had met several of Argent's old acquaintances from her pre-Titan days…

Alas that it could not last.

"You know," Argent's mother said abruptly, after regaling the two teens of one of her college exploits, "I don't think I've seen you go near your father all evening."

Argent's good mood snapped off like a light switch. "Ugh, do we have to bring him into this? I was having such a nice night…" she complained.

The older woman patted the girl's head in an attempt to soothe her. "Now dearie, there's no reason to go about pulling the sullen teenage attitude about it," she crooned.

The girl batted her mother's hand away. "Oh please!" she scoffed. "We both know he's got nothing good or encouraging to say to me. I'm an embarrassment to him, remember?"

Her mother cringed, not denying the statement, but pursed her lips and continued softly, "I know he's not exactly the _easiest_ man to please…"

"No. He's not," Argent interrupted. "And if it's all good and well with you I'd rather not subject myself to his demeaning criticisms."

"It wouldn't hurt you just to talk to him," the older woman told the girl.

"I don't _want_ to talk to him!" she whined.

Her mother gave a stern look, eyes narrowing. "Antonia Louise Monetti, don't you be difficult now!" she said hotly.

Argent sighed. "I'm not being difficult. Just keeping a sense of self-preservation and dignity about me," she said wearily, turning around to latch onto Hot Spot and lead him off somewhere else. The pyro had stood by dully, watching them go at it, eyes going back and forth between the two like a ping-pong ball. He'd wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.

Until her mother had used her full name that is. Then he snickered.

"Antonia?" he repeated, teasing.

She glared, a scowl coming onto her face. "It's not any worse than yours, _Isaiah,_ " she shot back.

A giggle from behind them turned her back around. Her mother held a hand over her mouth, her eyes sparkling. The elder Monetti girl lowered her hand.

"Sorry," she said, gesturing at both of them. "You two are just the _cutest_ couple."

Argent gave a half-smile, her irritation dissipating. "Thanks mum."

-TT-

In spite of her mother's admonitions, Argent made no attempt to approach her father, preferring to stay at the opposite end of the room from wherever it seemed his type were gathering. And eventually, in spite of the myriad of people still milling about in the room, she started to get bored.

"I'm going to get some more munchies," she told Hot Spot before leaving him with one of her old schoolmates and heading for the buffet table.

Scanning the options half-heartedly, Argent's mind drifted, remembering her tumultuous younger days. Being here, with everyone and everything she'd known before, actually kind of made her miss it. True, she was a spoiled brat back then, most of her peers had been (and some of them still were, she had rather unfortunately discovered that day), but there had been some good times as well.

She stared at the table indecisively, starting to consider the notion that it might not have been a good idea to leave her boyfriend alone with the particular old schoolmate she had...

And then a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.

"Glad to see you're at least _dressed_ decently for this event."

Her eyes closed grimly as she exhaled heavily, mentally cursing. Summoning up every ounce of politeness and cordialness she possessed, she turned around, managing a small, timid smile at the man behind her.

"Hullo dad," she addressed softly.

The stocky, broad-shouldered man wasn't much taller than her, but was hardly as waifish or thin. His grizzled, graying brown hair was impeccably combed and he wore a fine black suit, though neither did anything to help the narrowed eyes and disdainful grouchy frown that seemed permanently etched into his face. He gestured at her with the hand he had wrapped around his champagne glass.

"You couldn't have done anything about that hair?" he complained disparagingly.

Argent's gaze averted. Subconsciously her hand drifted up, pushing back her crimson bangs. "It uh… doesn't really wash out I'm afraid," she explained.

"You look like a punk."

"Nice to see you too dad," she drolled wryly. "You finally get tired of hanging around your fellow sleazebags or did I just get unlucky?" she shot, crossing her arms.

"Don't be sharp with me young lady, I'm not in the mood," he snapped.

"Likewise," Argent mumbled.

Her father sighed, softening just a little. "I'm only here because your mother wants us to talk to each other," he muttered, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.

Argent blew out a long breath. "Okay, so…" she acknowledged, shrugging her shoulders. "Let's talk."

The two stood in awkward, discomfiting silence for a moment. A long moment. Argent huffed and turned away.

"I knew you'd have nothing to say t' me," she scoffed.

"Toni," came her father's hard, firm voice.

The girl rolled her eyes and stopped. It was very tempting to keep walking away, but once her dad used that particular tone of voice, such a course of action would be unwise. So reluctantly she obeyed his command and turned back around. She shifted her balance from one heel to the other, eyes on the floor.

"I'm not going to deal with your attitude," her paternal figure told her. "However unpleasant, uncalled-for, and aggravating it is," he continued in a lecture. "So we're going to pretend to have some semblance of a conversation so your mother will be satisfied and get off both our backs. Am I understood?"

The girl nodded, too weary of the whole situation to put up another fight. She lifted her gaze from the floor and focused on her father.

The man seemed to struggle with his words for a moment. Then he pulled himself together, straightened, and asked, "How's your Titan friend?"

"Which one?" Argent plied.

"The alien girl, that dim-witted redhead who came to see you last Christmas."

Through gritted teeth, the silver-skinned girl replied, "She's fine. Her name is Starfire, by th' way, and she's _not_ 'dim-witted'."

From under the man's breath she caught a barely audible, "Could've fooled me."

Argent steamed, feeling her blood pressure rising. Deliberately she willed herself to calm down. Getting aggravated at her father's customary snap judgments would only lead to giving her a migraine. She succeeded in cooling her temper and faking a sickening sweet smile at the older man.

"How 'bout your lot? Getting into any new scandals?" she inquired.

He leveled a chilly, even glare on her. "I'm not entirely sure I like your tone young lady."

"Argent?" a new voice broke in.

Both parties glanced over in that direction. Argent was none too surprised to see her boyfriend, and in fact her insides shuddered in mild relief at the break in tension. Hot Spot maneuvered around to stand at comfortable close quarters with her, one hand brushing the small of her back.

"There you are. When you didn't come back from your food errand I started to think a supervillain had snatched you," the pyro told her, smiling in good-humor.

Brazenly giving the boy her full attention Argent grinned and bantered back, "When you didn't flee the room screaming in terror I started to think I'd misjudged Eugenia's character all these years."

"She's _creepy_ yeah, but I don't get why you think she's secretly some kind of cosmic horror. She acted perfectly normal to me."

"That's because you're a good-looking boy she can flirt with. Trust me, if you possessed two X chromosomes you'd understand."

A loud annoyed throat-clearing drew their attention. Noting the way his girlfriend's mood seemed to sour as she glanced back resignedly at the man she'd been talking to before he'd walked up, Hot Spot started to feel just a smidge hostile.

The feeling only grew as said adult fixed him with a suspicious, critical look.

"Who is this?" he demanded.

While Argent bit her lip, thinking up her reply, Hot Spot checked the older New Zealander up and down and though there was little family resemblance to speak of, he was pretty certain from the narrowed eyes, and pinched, condescending expression that the fellow was Argent's oft-bemoaned father. He received confirmation shortly afterward, when Argent sighed and finally gestured at him.

"Isaiah Crockett. Isaiah, my dad," she introduced.

The two males exchanged a wary guarded look. Hot Spot tightened his hold around his girlfriend's waist a little, already deciding he didn't really like the guy.

The feeling was quite mutual.

"This that black boy you were always writing e-mails to?" Argent's dad asked, his underlying tone not _quite_ criticizing but just enough to raise Hot Spot's protective instincts.

"Oh don't _be_ like that!" Argent snapped defensively before he could say something about the comment himself. Softening her voice and expression she laid a hand on his chest and added, "He's a very _nice_ black boy."

Her father only grunted and then, without saying another word, simply walked off and ignored her. The two teens were left standing alone together by the buffet table.

"Classist _and_ racist," he grumbled under his breath.

"He's not racist just… insensitive," Argent sighed, prying herself loose from Hot Spot's arm. The girl ran her fingers through her ebony hair, pulling at the roots, drained from the confrontation. "Look, let's just… forget we even encountered him," she begged, suddenly walking away from him and losing herself in the crowd.

-TT-

He found her again a few minutes later, outside. (After getting waylaid again by Argent's creepy schoolmate, whom he just managed to escape while she was distracted by a loud noisy commotion at the other end of the room—the same end he thought Argent had disappeared to, ironically enough.)

She was sitting on the curb, her shoes off and on the pavement next to her, and somehow she'd gotten ahold of a champagne glass. Which she had just put to her lips.

"Ah!" Hot Spot darted forward, deftly pulling the glass out of her hands. _"Underage,"_ he reminded.

"Only for another year and a half!" she protested. When he didn't reply and only gave her a stern look she crossed her arms and pouted. "Oh like as not it wouldn't have helped anyway," she groused.

Chuckling, he set the drink down behind them and put his arm around her petite shoulders. "Come on, talk to me," he encouraged. "What's wrong?"

She leaned her head on his arm. "Just couldn't take being in there anymore. Needed some fresh air," she confessed. "And to get away from certain people. Especially after dousing them with punch."

He leaned her back a little to get a better look at her. "Is that what that commotion was about?" he asked, eyes scrunching.

"Heard that huh?" she said, smirking. "Yep. That was my doing."

"Was it your dad again?" he pressed, concerned.

"No," she laughed. "Just a pretentious old ex-boyfriend. Seemed to think we were still on friendly terms with each other. We got into a bit a row I'm afraid." Shaking her head, she added, "Honestly if it'd been my father I think he would've killed me had I ruined one of his dress shirts."

That didn't put Hot Spot any more at ease but he bit his tongue and refrained from commenting anyway. Except to grumble about the ex-boyfriend part. That he couldn't help.

"Now love, we've talked how unfair it is to complain about my past romantic exploits given that I was a much more airheaded person back then," she admonished.

He scuffed the concrete with the edge of his shoe. "I know. I just don't like seeing you upset," he told her, rubbing her upper arm gently.

Her eyes lowered soberly. "Couldn't be helped. Eventually _something_ from my former life was going to come back and bite me in the bum."

"I still think I should've been there with you," he insisted, gazing out across the street.

"Don't guilt-trip yourself about it," she reproached him. "Wasn't anythin' you could have said or done. To him… or my father."

The two fell silent for a while, lost in their own thoughts and each other's welcome company. Horns honked as the traffic passed them. The curb was cool underneath their legs. The late afternoon sun was bright, but not blinding, gleaming off the windows and glass panes of skyscrapers. Hot Spot was still busy berating himself for not being on hand when Argent had the confrontation with her dad and debating whether or not to go back in and set fire to her ex-boyfriend's hair for (undoubtedly) coming on to his girlfriend, when said girlfriend suddenly straightened and brushed her hands off.

"Well, _this_ has been a thoroughly unpleasant experience," she concluded, standing up and grabbing her shoes by the ankle strap. "Come on, take me out somewhere! We're going to salvage what remains of this lovely afternoon!" she declared brightly.

Perplexed and slightly taken aback but pleased by her upturn in mood, Hot Spot shrugged as he stood to his own feet. "Okay," he acknowledged. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere!" she said, throwing her arms out enthusiastically. "The beach, the mall, we can even swing by the arcade if you'd like. I'll be happy wherever we go."

"Cool," He smiled and took her hand. "How 'bout I take you a movie and then some shopping afterwards?"

She gasped and nodded with approval. "Sounds lovely!"

"All right then," and with that, they headed off.

Argent didn't glance back as they walked, her shoes swinging idly, the sidewalk rough and warm beneath her feet, small hand inside Hot Spot's. She regretted not saying goodbye to her mother before she left, but knew the woman would understand. She wouldn't be happy about it, but she would understand. Argent wasn't ready to make peace with her father… or her past… yet. Not yet.

But maybe someday.

* * *


	22. Duet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* RobStar-Hotgent double date, RobStar-Hotgent double date.
> 
> Still one of my favorite chapters from this collection.

Hot Spot sat at the console facing the main video screen. He wasn't really looking _at_ it though. His gaze seemed to be fixated on a point just past and to the left of it.

Robin, the person on the other side of the screen, wasn't really looking at him either…

Both boys sat in a long… _long…_ and very uncomfortable silence.

…Robin coughed awkwardly.

Silence.

Hot Spot's eyes wandered. He caught Robin's gaze once and the two both looked away again.

Silence.

Hot Spot cleared his throat.

More silence.

"So…" the pyro finally said, before trailing off clumsily.

"Yeah," Robin finished.

A pause.

"Apparently our girls arranged for us all to go on a double date," Hot Spot commented casually, trying to ease the tension.

"Uh-huh."

Another pause.

"When did she tell you?" the pyro prompted.

"Last Friday, during movie night. You?" Robin asked.

Hot Spot shrugged. "Actually I was in the room when they were first planning it," he told the other boy. He tapped the console absentmindedly.

"Really," Robin said.

"Uh-huh."

Another pause.

"…And you didn't—?" Robin asked, also trailing off.

"Argent gave me 'The Look'," the pyro explained glumly before the Boy Wonder could finish the thought.

"Ah," Robin acknowledged.

Hot Spot stopped his tapping.

…After another pause he started up again.

Silence.

Robin fidgeted.

More silence.

"Okay!" Hot Spot declared finally, straightening up in his chair. "So… guess I'll be seeing you tonight," he said, putting a much-relieved end to the 'conversation'.

"Yeah… see you…" Robin muttered.

Hot Spot punched the button to close the channel and the screen flicked off, replacing the Boy Wonder's image with the usual view of the city. It was still mid-morning, hours away from that evening's scheduled double date, so the sunlight was still glinting off the buildings. Argent was out somewhere, probably getting her hair done or shopping for a new dress. But before she'd left she'd implored him to give Starfire a call to confirm various minor details about their dinner reservations, where they were going to meet, and other things that the pyro was pretty sure he didn't care about but had to have at least a vague knowledge of anyway.

When he'd finally mustered up the will to bother doing it, Robin had picked up instead.

Remarkably, neither of the boys had anything to say to each other.

…Most inelegant conversation ever.

Hot Spot sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.

 _Jeez I hope it's not like that the whole night_ , he thought.

-TT-

Robin stood nervously next to Starfire as the two young Titans waited on the boardwalk for the arrival of their companions for the evening.

The Tamaranian princess had exchanged her tube top and miniskirt for a soft chiffon dress—green of course—with a ruched bodice and halter straps gracefully circling around her neck. Her hair was pulled back and curled into little ringlets that draped down her shoulders.

Robin had just gone with a clean white dress shirt and dark slacks. (Paranoid as he was, though, and in spite of his girlfriend's reassurances, he'd left his belt on.) One hand buried itself in his pocket while the other tugged at his tie, still uncomfortable in his formal clothes.

Starfire noticed his fidgeting and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, which seemed to calm him down a bit. "Robin? Is everything okay?" she inquired.

"Yeah," he told her. "Yeah, um… I'm just… I'm just nervous," he stammered out. At his girlfriend's concerned look he blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head. "Our last double date didn't exactly, uh… go well," he explained, remembering back to the disastrous affair that had been his and Beast Boy's afternoon with their respective girls.

The alien princess shrugged. "Well, that is because we underestimated to what degree the Billy Numerous liked the 'state fairs'. I am certain nothing of that sort will interrupt our outing tonight!" she declared confidently.

Robin didn't feel very reassured. "Right..." he said, surreptitiously checking his back pocket where his communicator was.

At that moment the tell-tale sound of Herald's horn sounded. The two straightened to attention as the portal opened up. Argent stepped through first, wearing an elegant spaghetti strap black dress with an asymmetrical hemline, matching open-toed heels, and some simple gold jewelry. She reached behind back through the portal to encourage her pyrokinetic beau out onto the boardwalk with her. Hot Spot looked about as uncomfortable as Robin felt, which wasn't surprising, given that he was similarly dressed up. The pyro managed to compose himself though, dutifully taking up his place by his girlfriend's side as the portal closed behind them.

Starfire squealed and dashed over to Argent, glomping the petite girl. "You look wonderful!" she exclaimed.

Argent managed to keep her breath and return the hug. "Not so bad-looking you'self," she told the other girl as she pulled away. Indicating the princess's curls, she grinned and commented, "Love what you've done with that 'air."

Starfire absently brushed a strand behind her ear. "Raven actually helped me with the curling of it," she admitted.

"Did she now? Well that was nice of her." Her eyes flicked over to Robin and her hand clapped over her mouth, stifling a giggle. "Oh my gosh! You look _adorable!_ "

Hot Spot grunted discontentedly. "What about me?" he grumbled under his breath.

"You always look adorable," Argent whispered in an aside to him, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

Then she let go and stepped aside so Starfire could give the pyro one of her signature hugs. Hot Spot was very glad his girlfriend had warned him about the alien girl's inhumanly strong lung-crushing grip. His eyes still popped and he couldn't help cringing as Starfire painfully squeezed his ribcage in her enthusiasm.

"Oh! I thank you both so much for coming!" the Tamaranian princess gushed happily. "We are so excited to spend the quality time with you!" she continued, letting go.

"It's our pleasure," Argent told her.

Hot Spot would have responded as well but what with having just been hugged by Starfire he needed a few more minutes of wheezing and coughing to get back his breath. Argent held back a chuckle and patted his back as he inhaled deeply.

"I did warn you," she reminded him quietly.

"I'm much obliged," he managed hoarsely, a hand on his throat as he straightened back up.

Starfire, meanwhile, was tugging Robin over to them. "Do not be shy Robin!" she encouraged. "Say hello!"

She pulled him along and then left him standing there awkwardly, facing Hot Spot, as she jumped into an animated conversation with Argent.

The two boys said nothing for a moment.

Robin scuffed the pavement with the side of his shoe, his eyes down.

At length, Hot Spot shifted on his feet. "…Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," Robin replied.

Scratching his head, the pyro racked his brain for something to say. He might as well _try_ to break the ice; otherwise this was going to be the most _awkward_ evening ever. Finding a topic he cleared his throat. "Your uh… your girl's got quite a grip," he complimented.

Robin gave a faint smile. "Heh," he laughed. "Yeah…" he said dreamily, his gaze drifting over towards Starfire. Hot Spot could practically see the little hearts floating above his head.

"Bet she breaks a lot of ribs though," the pyro quipped, crossing his arms with a grin.

The Boy Wonder met his gaze. "She used to, in the beginning," he admitted. "Before she knew how, um…" Robin hesitated and gave a sheepish expression. "…well _she_ used the word 'delicate'… we were. She's gotten a lot better," he told him.

Hot Spot made a show of patting his ribs, checking to make sure they were whole. "Yep. Seems to," he confirmed.

Robin actually laughed at that. "Just be glad it was only one of her 'I'm so happy to see you' hugs," he said, grinning at the other boy before moving to join up with the girls.

The pyro's brows scrunched at that, eyes narrowing in confusion. "Wait, there's more than _one_ kind of bone-crushing Starfire hug?" he asked as he followed.

Robin nodded. "Uh-huh. There's the 'I'm scared so I'm going to cling to you' hug, and the 'So relieved that you're not dead' hug, and the 'Hiding my hysteria and relief that you're okay' hug, and the 'I haven't hugged you in a while so I might as well for the heck of it' hug," he explained.

"…And you just happen to have all of them categorized?" Hot Spot noted, now raising an eyebrow at the other boy.

The younger Titan turned beet red in the face and tugged on his tie. "Um… well…" he stammered. "She's uh… she's very…"

Starfire at that moment broke from her conversation with Argent and took hold of his arm excitedly, babbling about how they should get going or they would be late. Argent agreed and reached for Hot Spot's hand, sliding her fingers in between his.

Robin caught the pyro's gaze a quick second.

"Fascinating," he finished softly, before Starfire with her innocent enthusiasm had his full attention again.

The two couples started heading towards their destination. Hot Spot watched the Titans West pair out of the corner of his eye. Argent liked to complain about how dense he was, but even he could see the plain and obvious effect the pretty Tamaranian princess had upon the Titans' leader, how she relaxed and calmed him. How the tension eased out of Robin's limbs whenever Starfire laughed.

Definitely a goner.

 _Well_ , he thought, glancing at Argent, _at least we have that in common_.

-TT-

The couples walked leisurely through the streets until they came to the restaurant where they would be having dinner. They entered, the maitre d' checked their reservation, and then showed them to their table. A waiter came by soon after to bring them drinks. Starfire and Argent chatted amiably from time to time as the Titans waited.

The New Zealander swished her straw around in her glass, glancing over at the boys. Hot Spot was futzing with his sleeve cuff and Robin was staring off into space. The space happened to be occupied by Starfire. Unsurprisingly.

"You two are being awfully quiet you know," she pointed out.

Robin started from his trace. "Huh? Oh. Sorry, I was just… distracted," he muttered.

Hot Spot stopped playing with his sleeve. "What do people talk about on double dates anyway?" he asked, stretching and then settling his arm around Argent's shoulders.

"I'm… not entirely sure," Robin admitted. "This is only my second double date."

"Really." The pyro leaned forward in interest. "What happened to the first?"

"Got interrupted mid-way through by a criminal trying to pull a massive carnival prize heist," Robin sighed, leaning his elbow on the table.

Argent chuckled. "That does tend to happen with our lot doesn't it?" she commented.

"Indeed," Starfire added.

"This date's probably going to end the same way…" Robin grumbled, slumping in his seat.

Argent looked uneasily about the restaurant. "Easy lad, don't jinx it," she cautioned. "I'd rather _not_ have to fight any metahuman supervillains in this entirely combat-impractical dress you know."

"Sorry," the boy mumbled, checking the supplies in his belt again. Starfire gently smacked his hand and pulled it back up to the table, clasping it in her own.

"Please. Cease with the being paranoid," she admonished.

-TT-

By the time their waiter came by with the appetizers (salads mostly, though he also brought a basket of nice warm garlic bread), Starfire had succeeded in relatively calming Robin's jitters again. The boy picked listlessly at his salad with one hand, the other one still holding Star's. The Tamaranian glanced at him from time to time, a content smile on her face, when she wasn't busy catching up with Argent.

The silver-skinned girl and the alien princess got along swimmingly.

Hot Spot was content to sit back and watch them talk at first.

Of course… when Argent eventually noticed this she pinched him pointedly, catching his eyes with a seething surly look that said 'Participate or else bub'. The pyro initially glared back, as if to say, "Uh-uh, no way. You dragged me into this but I don't have to _like_ it." The two had a silent contest of wills for a few seconds, while Starfire rambled obliviously about the latest prank Beast Boy had pulled upon Cyborg.

Then, Argent played dirty. She took hold of his sleeve with her pale petite fingers and looked up at him with the biggest most _pleading_ puppy dog eyes he'd even seen in his life.

"Aww man…" he groaned softly, keeping the volume low so Starfire wouldn't hear. "That's not fair 'gent," he complained.

" _Please?"_ his girlfriend begged. "I know you don't like how I made you dress up and come here but I think you and I could have a lot of fun on this date and get along smashingly with Star and Robin if you just tried. Will you try? For me?" she entreated.

He sighed deeply, but tuned in to Starfire's story and as soon as she was done, he laughed appropriately.

"That's pretty funny," he admitted.

Starfire blinked, a look of confusion on her face. "I do not see what is so humorous about rigging the sink faucet so that it sprays into one's face. Surely such an action is a needless vandalism of property for the sake of a fleeting laugh at another's expense?"

"Ha!" the pyro barked. "That's nothing. I should tell you about what we did to the Oceanic Tower to prank Argent last April Fools," he continued, nudging the girl in question conspiratorially.

Argent was unamused. "No. Please. You really shouldn't," she said flatly.

At Starfire's confused stare, Hot Spot leaned forward to explain. "She's uh… not as appreciative of our pranks as most people," he whispered. "And she still hasn't forgiven us for that particular stunt."

"No I haven't," the silver-skinned girl grumbled, crossing her arms. "And if you tell 'er about it I'll castrate you with the butter knife," she threatened quite casually.

Hot Spot shut his mouth. He didn't know if Argent was being serious or not but when it came to his manhood it was better not to guess.

"I do not believe I wish to know," Starfire squeaked timidly a slight tint coming to her cheeks. Looking about for something to distract her, she glanced over and noticed that Robin had zoned out again. She waved her hand in front of his face.

He jumped a little. "What?" he blurted, jerking his head towards her.

"Nothing!" she chirruped. "I merely wished to ascertain whether or not you were paying attention."

"Oh," he said, dropping his fork and rubbing the side of his neck. "Sorry. Guess I'm not being much of a conversationalist am I?" he added, a small apologetic smile touching his mouth.

"s'all right. You're shy. I can understand that," Argent deduced, big grin on her face as she leaned her elbows on the table. "We'll go easy on you I promise," she joked.

The Boy Wonder made a nervous laugh and looked down at the table. Starfire squeezed his hand reassuringly. Argent and Hot Spot exchanged a glance and then shifted a little on their seats so they were facing more towards Robin.

Between the three of them, they managed to pry the boy out of his shell and into some semblance of a conversation. Eventually he felt comfortable enough to actually look people in the face.

Before long, the four teenagers were exchanging stories and natural banter.

Hot Spot paused for a moment and leaned back in his seat, watching the interaction between the Titans. He had to admit… this actually wasn't that bad. The restaurant was very nice, the food—when they brought it out—was good, Starfire was bubbly and easy to listen to. And Robin wasn't even as much of an ass as he'd expected, given the last time Hot Spot had been in contact with him. (Okay so it was really Madame Rouge posing as Robin but the event still hadn't endeared the Titans' leader to the irritable pyrokinetic.) The quartet got along relatively decently. It was actually kind of fun.

Okay, score one for Argent. But the next time she tried to arrange something like this without consulting him he was going to have a few words to say.

But he'd talk that over with her later. Right now he was having a bit of difficulty even looking at her without losing his train of thought. Girl had picked a _nice_ dress to wear for this evening. It was very… distracting.

-TT-

Conversation mostly revolved around Titan affairs—various battles, the shenanigans of team members, things of the sort. In spite of his girlfriend's chiding, Robin continued to scan their surroundings warily, as if any moment Slade or Mumbo or Control Freak would burst out of the shadows and attack. He did make an effort to do it when he thought Starfire wasn't looking though, Argent and Hot Spot had noticed. (Since they were sitting across from him it wasn't really difficult to spot.)

During a lull in their dialogue, while the Titans were waiting for dessert, Argent excused herself to the bathroom. Starfire elected to accompany her and both girls got up from their seats, leaving the two boys alone for a moment.

Hot Spot bit back a chuckle when Robin took the opportunity to put his belt on the table and obsessive-compulsively re-organize the pockets.

"You always this paranoid?" he teased, reaching for another slice of garlic bread.

Robin shrugged. "Force of habit. I was raised by Batman you know."

"That would do it," Hot Spot said, nodding in agreement. "Kinda seems like a bad habit to pick up though," he told Robin.

The Boy Wonder finished shifting things around and stowed his belt away again. "It's something I'm working on. Trying to relax more I mean. Speaking of…" he trailed, and here the lines of his mask scrunched, his expression slightly concerned but hesitant, as if he felt the next question would be invasive. "What's with Argent?" he finally inquired. "I noticed her looking around anxiously from time to time."

"Huh? Oh that." Hot Spot waved him off. "She's all right; she just gets a bit self-conscious in crowded public places like this," he explained.

"Because of her skin?" Robin guessed.

Hot Spot didn't bat an eye at the young detective's keen observation skills. Robin's reputation at deduction preceded him. "Uh-huh," the pyro confirmed, picking up his spoon and stirring the ice in his glass.

The boys were quiet for a minute.

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Robin contemplated.

"It's the _girl's_ bathroom," Hot Spot reminded. "They're probably standing in line still."

"Oh yeah..."

-TT-

Argent and Starfire wandered back to their table shortly. The silver-skinned girl looked smug as she put her hands on her hips and asked coyly, "Getting along lads?"

Hot Spot rolled his eyes and ignored her barb. Gesturing at Robin he said, "We were just talking about our mutual dislike of Madame Rouge."

"You mean that odious insufferable shape-shifter woman who I heard wiped the floor with you both? Twice?" Argent asked nonchalantly, taking her seat.

The boys were immediately defensive.

"Hey, she wiped the floor with _Robin_. I at least managed to hold her at bay for a while because of my powers," Hot Spot complained.

"She wouldn't go down! I threw my whole arsenal at her!" Robin protested. "I dropped rocks on her, blew her up, froze her, shattered her into a thousand pieces and she _still_ kept after me!"

Argent smirked, leaning her arms on the table. "And yet Jinx managed to take her out with a single finger snap," she pointed out.

Robin and Hot Spot steamed and grumbled, but couldn't say anything in response.

Starfire giggled at their disgruntled expressions. Then she froze with a small gasp, her ears perking as the sound of low soft music filtered in from the dance floor. She looked across the restaurant to where a small band had just set up in the corner, and well-dressed couples were starting to drift onto the hardwood.

"Oh!" she breathed. She glanced towards Robin hopefully. "You do not suppose we could…?"

Robin was confused a moment. He followed her line of sight until he realized what she was asking. Then he smiled and held out his hand to her.

"May I have this dance, Princess?" he asked.

Starfire latched onto his wrist and… not so much led as _towed_ Robin to the floor, eliciting a startled yelp from the boy as he was patently pulled out of his seat. The couple joined the others already on the floor and soon settled very naturally and comfortably into a slow waltz.

Argent and Hot Spot half-turned in their seats and watched them for a bit. The New Zealander shifted so she was facing her boyfriend and draped her arms over the back of her chair.

"Welllll…" she prompted, drawing out and exaggerating the word mischievously.

Hot Spot slid his gaze towards her, annoyed. "Well what?" he huffed.

She twisted a strand of hair around her finger, looking innocent. "Aren't you going to say it?"

Honestly clueless this time, he asked, "Say what?"

"'You were right darling, I am having fun on this date and I'm glad you arranged it,'" she said with a light, lilting tone, smirking at him.

Ah.

"Nope!" he said cheerfully, turning back to his dessert.

Argent pouted, slumping and deflating in her chair in sudden defeat. "Well at the very least ask me to dance," she grumbled.

Chuckling internally at her discontented posture, Hot Spot reached over and took her hand. He lifted it up to his mouth, kissing the knuckles gently.

"Will do," he told her softly, giving her a warm look he knew from previous experience tended to make her weak in the knees. Argent was shell-shocked a moment, a cutely dazed expression on her face. Hot Spot stood to his feet, still holding her hand, and she followed mechanically, like he'd put her in a trance with just those two words.

She shook herself out of it once they reached the dance floor though. Hot Spot slid his arm comfortably around her waist and she clasped her hands behind his neck. The height discrepancy between them was a little awkward, but neither seemed to mind as they started to sway.

-TT-

The rest of the evening passed, remarkably, without incident. The two couples finished dinner, walked to the theater, and sat for two hours in a sci-fi epic the girls had picked out that appealed reasonably to all their tastes. Argent leaned her head on Hot Spot's shoulder the whole time, which he did not mind at all. Robin held Starfire's hand and occasionally, as the Tamaranian girl was prone to leap into his arms and cling to him at scary moments, hugged her and rubbed her back in order to comfort her and calm her down.

Argent sometimes watched them out of the corner of her eye, barely holding her squeals whenever they displayed overt affection. This did not escape the notice of her own boyfriend, who just rolled his eyes long-sufferingly in a, "Yep, that's my girl." gesture.

When the movie was over, they strolled back to the docks and Hot Spot called Herald on the communicator to let him know to open a portal for them. The Titans Oceanic bade farewell to their west coast team counterparts, Starfire, of course, hugging them goodbye. Hot Spot wasn't much better prepared for this one from the first, and turned away to wheeze while Starfire glomped onto Argent one last time.

Robin came up and good-naturedly thumped his back a few times.

"That's her 'Don't know when I'll see you next so goodbye for now' hug," he explained, grinning.

"Good to know," Hot Spot rasped. Coughing and clearing his throat, he looked seriously at the younger boy. "You take care of her. You hear me?" he cautioned.

Robin nodded in understanding. "Yeah. You too. Take care of Argent."

Eyes flicking towards the girls, surveying them meaningfully, Hot Spot murmured quietly, "They're amazing girls aren't they?"

"Yeah…" Robin sighed, gazing wonderingly at his beautiful redhead girlfriend. "Yeah they are."

Hot Spot offered his hand to Robin. "See ya round squirt."

Robin made a face at the jab about his height, but shook Hot Spot's hand. The girls joined back up with them and Hot Spot wrapped his arm around Argent. Then the two stepped through the portal their teleporter teammate had kindly opened for them. Starfire waved goodbye as the rift closed behind them.

-TT-

The Oceanic Tower was dark. Herald was the only one up and almost as soon as they greeted him, he was shuffling off to bed, grumbling about the late hour and being used as cheap transportation service for everyone all the time. Hot Spot walked Argent to her room, the petite girl still tucked under his arm, a happy expression gracing her features.

The two walked in relative quiet for a long while, and then Hot Spot piped up.

"Argent?"

"Hmm?" she hummed, turning her head up to him.

He smiled at her as they reached her door. "You were right. I had fun tonight. I'm glad you arranged it."

Her expression was pure satisfaction.

"Nice to hear. 'night love."

"'night."


	23. Flu Season

Argent's room was not in any stretch of the imagination a stop along the way to OPS but he liked making occasional brief trips to check up on her anyway. If she was in, his impromptu visits were a welcome surprise to her. If she wasn't, well no harm no foul, he'd just amble on his way and she'd turn up somewhere eventually.

It was with some surprise that morning (well, closer to noon actually) that he discovered he'd been beaten to the punch by Jericho, who was standing in front of the door and staring at it with an unreadable expression.

His brows rose slightly.

"Something wrong?" he asked, coming up to stand alongside the boy.

Jericho turned to glance at him, before lifting his hands. _Argent missed breakfast and she hasn't come out of her room all morning_ , he signed. _I think she's sick._

"Sick?" Concern now dominating his expression, Hot Spot stepped up to the door and rapped on it. "Argent?" he called. "Hey, it's me. You okay in there?"

" _Nnuugh…"_ came a muted, groaning response.

 _That's what she replied to all of my calling too_ , Jericho told him.

Hot Spot frowned and punched the control to slide open the door.

The room was dim, the curtains having yet to be pulled back from the windows to let in the sun. Not a good sign. Argent was a small lump still buried under the heavy covers of her bed. He could really only see the mop of her black hair poking out. He entered the room and came around to the other side of the bed so he could see her face. Her small hands clutched the covers around her. She looked to be sweating a little too, and her hair stuck to her forehead in clumps. He touched her shoulder and her eyes opened up.

"Hey," he said. "Jericho says you haven't come out of your room all morning."

She managed a tired smile for him.

"Feeling a little under the weather I'm afraid," she croaked.

Hot Spot put his hand on her forehead. "You don't feel that hot to me."

"Hot Spot you're burning me!"

"Sorry!" he said, quickly pulling his hand back. He hadn't thought his internal heat was turned up _that_ high, but then again, one's skin was often over-sensitive during an illness. He cooled himself a little and put his hand back on, gently in case it was still too warm.

Argent was definitely running a fever.

"Jeez girl, what did you catch?" He eyed her suspiciously. "It's not the swine flu is it?"

Argent rolled her eyes. "Don't be daft," she said. "Where would I have even picked it up? We haven't had much cause to be out of the Tower in a full week." Calming down a little she murmured, "It's just the regular old flu that mum was coming down with when she visited two days ago."

The pyro frowned, brushing the locks out of Argent's eyes. "Anything you need? Can I get you something?" he asked, stroking her cheek.

She shook her head. Considering it a moment she conceded, "Maybe just a glass of water. I'm not really hungry but something to drink'd be nice."

"Okay." The boy straightened and headed back out. Jericho still hovered worriedly in the hallway. Hot Spot nodded at him. "Flu," he confirmed.

Jericho grimaced. _Ick. That's never fun._

Hot Spot shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I haven't had since I was little."

 _Well avoid over-excessive cuddling with Argent until she feels better okay?_ Jericho admonished, wandering off. _'cause trust me, you don't want to catch it again._

"Over-excessive… _hey,_ " Hot Spot protested.

-TT-

Argent remained cloistered in her room for most of the day, only emerging to stumble blearily into the bathroom. And, once, to get some ibuprofen from the kitchen cabinets. The boys looked up from their own doings when she shuffled in, her shirt and pajama bottoms (which she'd not changed out of that morning) wrinkled and her hair frizzy from bedhead. She paid them no heed, going to the cabinets, taking what she needed, and swallowing the medicine with a small glass of water.

Hot Spot stared rather openly at her at first, then ducked his head, blushing.

Argent set her cup down on the counter and left again, the door swooshing behind her.

"Man, she must be feeling really out of it," Herald commented, turning back to his video game. "She didn't even brush her hair."

"I know, and she's like barely snarked at me all day," Hot Spot said. At Herald's quizzical glance the pyro added, "It's just abnormal."

Wildebeest grunted in agreement.

Herald flicked buttons on his console idly. "Did she have that teddy bear shirt before or is that new?" he asked Hot Spot.

"How should I know?"

The teleporter shrugged. "I dunno, you _are_ her boyfriend."

Hot Spot tossed aside his own controller and crossed his arms tersely. "Okay seriously. Just because I'm her boyfriend doesn't mean I notice what she wears on any given day."

"Bet you noticed today," Herald mumbled under his breath.

Hot Spot thwacked him upside the head.

"Ow!"

-TT-

They didn't see much of her the next day either. At least until after they'd been out stopping one of their recurring minor supervillains. Hot Spot had made sure to set the security system a little higher than normal as he and the other boys left their ailing female companion home alone to go fight crime. And he also turned off the alert just in case something else happened while they were gone.

It wasn't like he was worried or anything. He just figured Argent would want to sleep in and as such, would appreciate not being disturbed.

…Okay maybe he was a _little_ worried.

Their mission was relatively uncomplicated and it wasn't too long before they were back.

To their surprise, Argent was out in the common room and curled up comfortably on the couch when they returned, still in her nightclothes, her pillow and blankets arranged around her, sitting upright with the remote in hand. She was watching something that looked suspiciously like it was from the first season of her favorite spy show.

Normally this wouldn't be a cause for mild distress but Herald and Wildebeest had been in the middle of a video game duel before they'd left and the fact that the television that _should_ have been showing their pause screen was showing a teenage girl rappelling down a building instead made them a little uneasy.

"Um…" Herald piped up hesitantly. "Argent?"

"Hmm?" the girl replied, not looking up.

"We were kind of in the middle of a game."

Argent smirked, deciding to yank her teammate's chains a little. Still not turning around she commented impassively, "Were you now? Huh. That's too bad."

Herald about had a conniption before Hot Spot stepped forward, put his hands on his girlfriend's shoulders, and spoke gently into her ear.

"Toni dear… it's not nice to lie to people," he teased, deliberately using her civilian name to break down her willpower.

Argent held out for about… three seconds. Then she sighed in disappointment. Shifting herself on the couch she turned around to face Herald.

"Your game is paused right where you left it, completely untouched. All I did was switch over the input," she said, sullen. Tilting her head back to look at her boyfriend she gave him a pointed glare. "Happy now?"

He patted her on the head. "Good girl," he cooed.

She slumped down in her seat, crossing her arms. "You take all the fun out of everything," she grumbled.

Hot Spot chuckled and let go in order to come around the side of the couch and sit next to her. She didn't scoot away when he took his seat, but she made no movement to tuck herself under his arm like she usually did. He glanced at her. He didn't know what it was about the messy unkempt hair but it was strangely irresistible to him at that moment. He just wanted to muss it up and run his fingers through it.

Argent did look a lot better than she had looked yesterday. Some of the glow had returned to her pale skin, she was alert, her eyes were focused and not bleary.

What the heck. He figured she was well enough for a little physical affection. He reached over to put his arm around her waist.

She swatted his hand.

"Ow!" Hot Spot yelped, clutching his wrist.

"There will be _no_ cuddle time until I'm all healed up," Argent admonished sternly. "You wanna catch this bug too? I don't think I need to remind you what happened the last time you were sick."

"The curtains were cheap lousy flammable stuff anyway," he whined. The back of his hand smarted from where she'd smacked him, and he rubbed it, aggrieved at being denied his snuggle. He crossed his own arms when he was done and faced forward grouchily. "And the dress suit was not my fault," he muttered.

"It was so!" Argent insisted. "Your closet door was hanging wide open, the suit right smack dab in front as if to say 'Please, set me on fire, I'm sure your kind and generous loving girlfriend who so graciously provided you with it will be _thrilled_ when she has to clean up the mess'." The girl punctuated her sentences with agitated hand gestures as she went through her diatribe. When she was finished she grabbed one of her pillows and squeezed it to her chest, exhaling loudly. The rant had drained her of her energy.

"She's definitely getting better," Herald commented under his breath, from where he was in the kitchen. (Seeing as how Argent wasn't relinquishing the television he and Wildebeest had taken to a board game with Jericho instead of their video game.)

Hot Spot simmered, his inner heat boiling just on the edge of ignition. He forced himself to cool off and drop the issue. Argent was still ailing; he'd respect her delicate condition by not pushing her buttons. " _Fine_ , okay?" he sighed. "You win. It was my fault for leaving the door open. I'm sorry."

"Say that again?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

Argent grinned and leaned back against the couch. "It's so lovely when you admit that you're wrong."

The pyro growled. "Don't push me, okay. I'm _this_ close to powering up."

"Come on you two," Herald called to them, sounding like a worn-out parent. "Play nice. Argent's still sick you know."

The couple on the couch fell quiet, watching the television for a few moments.

Jericho rolled his dice half-heartedly. _I hate it when Mommy and Daddy fight._

"No kidding," Herald agreed.

" _Grunt,"_ said Wildebeest, nodding.

Over on the sofa, Argent peeled the pillow away from her chest and set it aside. She paused a minute to straighten out her pajama top, and then pulled her feet up to the cushions and turned to face her boyfriend. She touched his shoulder gently. His brown eyes flicked over to rest on her.

"Sorry for being irritable," she said, giving a smile. "I know I'm not feeling well but that's no excuse for snapping at you."

He uncrossed his arms and clasped her hand affectionately. "You're forgiven," he told her. "Now c'mere," he said, deftly pulling her closer.

"I thought I said no cuddle time 'til I'm better," the girl protested.

Hot Spot put his arms around her regardless. "Flu or not, I want a snuggle and I'm getting a snuggle," he told her.

Argent sighed and allowed herself to be held in a close embrace, leaning her head on her boyfriend's chest. "If you come down with this bug later I'm not playing nurse for you," she warned him.

The pyro rested his hands comfortably on her stomach, and the two assumed a leisurely posture on the sofa.


	24. Green Eyed

No one was denying that Hot Spot was a rather handsome lad, but Argent still found herself getting annoyed when this fact led girls— _other_ girls—to notice.

Okay granted, noticing in and of itself wasn't terribly criminal. But what _really_ annoyed her was the flirting.

Just this morning the vendor at the ice cream stand on the beach—a tittering blonde with entirely too much eye make-up—had been laying the flattery on so thick it might as well have been double-chunk chocolate. (Said tittering blonde had also rather pointedly ignored her presence, which Argent found doubly irritating and rude.)

And then of course there were the _fans_ , those creepy stalkerish creatures that treated herself and the rest of her team of superheroes like rock stars or actors, hanging on their every word and appearance as if the minutia of their daily lives had any bearing whatsoever on the private affairs of civilians. Some days Argent didn't mind being a celebrity (like whenever she checked the message boards of her online fan club to answer e-mails and hear the glowing praise about her), but some days she wanted to throw up her hands and ask how on earth anyone could be subjected to this treatment without committing themselves to an asylum.

_Or at the very least swearing off the internet entirely_ , she thought to herself as she browsed through the forum comments on a particularly unruly fansite. The thread in question was discussing the subjective attractiveness of her boyfriend. She skimmed through the comments, getting only mildly peeved at the constant fawning and sighing over his various physical features (his hair, his eyes, his strong and manly arms), and stopping to steam over the ones that had some rather nasty things to say about her.

One in particular made her blood boil:

" _he's soooo hot lol. hotspot should ttlly dump that goth skank and go out with me! XD"_

"Skank?" she sputtered. "I'll bet you don't even know what that word means you idiotic—" Stopping her tirade to take a few deep calming breaths, she regained her cool demeanor, smirked, and said, "You're just jealous that _I'm_ his girlfriend and you aren't." Deciding she's had enough for one day, Argent closed out of the browser.

She rubbed her temples wearily. Other girls coming on to Hot Spot always made her grouchy. It was a very stupid little reason to get upset, she knew, but she couldn't _help_ but get just a teensy bit irked.

_Probably because I'm jealous too_ , she thought.

She sighed dramatically.

A moment or two later Hot Spot himself wandered over, grinning.

"Why the long face Vanilla Bean? Your show get canceled or something?" he teased.

She looked up. "Hmm? Oh no, that's not it. Just thinking about something that tends to make me grumbly and irritable." She grimaced. "And I thought we talked about assigning me sloppy sentimental pet names, especially ones having any relation whatsoever to food and sugar."

"Did we?" Hot Spot scratched at his chin. "I don't think I remember what we said."

"I believe the gist of it was _don't,_ " she reminded him, mouth half-upturned wryly.

He huffed. "You're no fun."

Argent rolled her eyes. "Anyway, it's not important."

"Good. Then let's go for a walk. You look like you could use the fresh air," he said, holding his hand out to her and helping her to her feet.

Her face flashed with a worried expression. "What d'you mean? Am I getting paler? Is my hair messed up? I'm not getting bags under my eyes am I?" she asked anxiously.

"Argent…" he sighed tiredly. "Why do you automatically assume I'm taking digs at your appearance? You're gorgeous. You're always gorgeous. So stop fretting."

"You're a gross miserable liar Spotty," Argent shot back, even as she blushed from the compliment.

He just took her hand in his and led her out.

-TT-

Argent had almost forgotten her jealousy woes as the two partook of the nice sunny day outside. She didn't even bat an eyelash when a young fan ran up to them and begged for Hot Spot's autograph. (It helped that the girl was a preteen. Argent found eleven and twelve-year-olds entirely too adorable to hate.)

The issue started creeping back on her though, when the couple found themselves walking the beach and Hot Spot was once again angling them towards their favorite ice cream stand. Argent peered ahead uneasily to see who was working it.

_Please let it be David,_ she pleaded mentally. _Or Molly. Or that cute boy with freckles_. _Or anyone else except_ —

She stifled a groan. Miss Tittering Blonde was there again. Lovely. When the vendor spotted them, she gasped and not-so-inconspicuously checked her reflection in the metal counter. Then she layered on even _more_ eye make-up, reapplied her lipstick, and then leaned her elbow on the stand.

Argent glared and gripped Hot Spot's arm a little tighter. _Oh brother,_ she thought. _Here we go…_

As the two walked up to the stand, the pretty blonde vendor turned her full attention on the pyro.

"Back again so soon love?" she asked, batting her eyes. "You keep coming here and we might have to hire you."

Fortunately, dense as he was, Hot Spot was completely oblivious to the girl's come ons. (Argent didn't know what she'd do if he wasn't clueless about it. Probably smack him upside the head.)

"Two single scoops, one chocolate, one vanilla," he recited without hesitation.

The vendor winked at him. "Coming right up handsome," she promised, turning aside to fill their order. And deliberately bent over to show off her rear.

Argent held back a gag.

Hot Spot dug out the money for their treat from his wallet, meticulously counting out the bills and still mercifully ignorant of the blonde's vapid and obscene attempts to flirt with him. He set the proper amount on the counter and took the cones from the vendor when she handed them to him. He passed one off to Argent, then turned back to the vendor.

"Thanks," he said politely, before taking Argent's arm and leading her off to go sit at their usual spot on the stone sea wall.

"No problem cutie! Feel free to drop by any time. I'm always happy to see you!" the blonde gushed from behind them, to Argent's increasing annoyance.

The silver-skinned girl didn't know which was worse; the fact that the vendor kept hitting on a boy who was so obviously taken, while his girlfriend was standing right there in front of them, or the fact that she did so _with the full knowledge that said girlfriend was a super powered metahuman capable of causing intense physical harm._ Her fellow Titanesses knew better than to go messing with each others' boyfriends for this exact reason.

Because it was stupid. And suicide.

Random geeks on the internet were one thing but this was insufferable and she was going to put her foot down.

Argent trudged to a halt, handing her cone back to Hot Spot. "Excuse me a minute. You go on ahead, I'll be right there," she told him, patting his back. She turned on her heel and stalked back to the ice cream stand. Miss Tittering Blonde was now filing her nails boredly. She looked up as Argent approached, with a withering gaze.

"Yeah, what do _you_ want?" she demanded.

Argent put on her most cordial and polite expression and clasped her hands in front of her. "Sweetie… I'll be the first to admit that I have a good-looking gent for a boyfriend. But this whole thing where you flirt with him while I'm standing here? That's rather inconsiderate of you," she pointed out. "If you would be so kind as to learn proper seduction etiquette and lay off my boyfriend, that would be much appreciated."

Her angelic tone, pleasant smile, and elegant proper posture dropped like a rock. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Otherwise, I'm going to use my plasma projection powers to make a dozen giant bats, paddles, and spatulas and smack you around with them until you're black and blue and can't flirt with anyone," she warned in an utterly chilling voice. "Understood?"

The file dropped with a plink from the blonde's hands and she gaped open-mouthed with something that looked satisfyingly like terror. "Uh…" she squeaked. "Yeah. Yeah sure. Understood."

The pleasant smile returned to Argent's face. "Thank you! I'm glad we had this talk." She about-faced once again and skipped off to join her boyfriend on the sea wall.

"What was that all about?" he asked her as she sat down next to him, taking her ice cream come.

"Oh nothing," she dismissed. "Just clearing something up."

Hot Spot shrugged and pulled her closer with an arm around her waist as he enjoyed the sun and his ice cream.


	25. Ear Worm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of inspired by "Too Darn Hot" from the _Kiss Me Kate_ musical, which is the titular ear worm. It will get stuck in your head. I guess you could consider this a songfic but there's more fic than song so I dunno.
> 
> For some reason I really like to think of it as a Hotgent song, painfully lame pun about heat aside.

Argent didn't realize what a mistake it had been agreeing to go out to the theater with Hot Spot a week earlier.

Not until he had one of the songs from the show they'd seen on repeat play echoing throughout the Tower.

_It's too darn hot,_

_It's too darn hot._

The worst of it was it wasn't a _bad_ song. It was just so very catchy and easy to hum that it couldn't help but get irrevocably stuck in one's head.

_I'd like to sup with my baby tonight,_

_And play the pup with my baby tonight._

She had told him the song was cycling through her head like a phantom ipod ghost tormenting her with its mental presence but if he heard he didn't seem to notice or care that it was getting on her nerves.

_But I ain't up to my baby tonight,_

_'Cause it's too darn hot._

In fact, she could almost swear he was playing it more often than he was before she'd told him it annoyed her.

_I'd like to stop for my baby tonight,_

_And blow my top with my baby tonight._

Did he delight in tormenting her like this?

_I'd like to fool with my baby tonight,_

_Break ev'ry rule with my baby tonight._

There was no way he wasn't doing it on purpose. No soddy way at all.

Argent's blood simmered. She grabbed the pillow from her armchair and pressed it against the sides of her head in a useless attempt to block the song out. After a moment she gave up on that, rose from her seat with a huff, and stalked off to find her aggravating teammate.

The hallways passed by in a blur and as she got closer the song got louder. But no matter how catchy it was, she was _not_ going to sing along with it. Not at all.

She found herself outside OPS and jammed the button irritably. When it opened it revealed that Hot Spot was currently working at one of the computers. The speakers hummed with the trumpets and crooning voice of that blasted stage musical song. Argent strode up and stopped a few paces behind him, crossing her arms.

"Isaiah? Knock it off. No matter how many times you play it it's _not_ going to suddenly become our love song."

He looked up nonchalantly from his typing and twisted around in his seat. "Who says I'm trying to make it our love song?" he asked, smirking.

Argent shot an exasperated look towards the ceiling. "Why else are you playing it over and over again?"

"Maybe I just like it," he replied cheekily.

"Maybe you're doing it to annoy me," Argent shot back.

Hot Spot leaned his arms on the back of his seat. "What if I am? What are you going to do about it?"

The New Zealander fixed him with an icy glare. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that question?"

The pyro chuckled nervously, shifting on his chair away from her.

Argent gestured at the speakers. "Turn it off. Play something else for a change," she ordered.

He gave her a mock pout. "But you're cute when you're annoyed."

"SPOTTY!"

"All right, all right, _jeez,_ " he relented, clicking out of the music player he'd been using. He grumbled under his breath. "I swear, sometimes you are such a stubborn, pushy…"

The song cut out, filling the room with silence.

"Happy now?" he groused.

"Quite," she said, beaming at him. She gave him a quick hug around his neck and a peck on his forehead. "You love me." she reminded.

"Yes, I love you," he sighed. "It's about the only thing keeping me from shooting fireballs at you right now."

She giggled and moved off, heading back to her room.

"I _am_ going to get you to sing it too by the end of the day," he called after her.

"You wish."

-TT-

That night was Argent and Hot Spot's turn for dish duty, which they liked to do together. Argent sudsed up the plates in the soapy water, then handed them to Hot Spot, who rinsed them and put them in the drying rack.

Argent often liked to hum while she did this. Something about the frothy bubbles and musical clink of plates just brought out the singer in her. (And Hot Spot of course was not opposed at all to listen to her pretty crooning voice.) So about a third of the way through the stack of dirty dishes she reached into her memory for something to sing. She hummed a few bars and then almost absentmindedly brought up the lyrics.

" _But when the thermometer goes way up and the weather is sizzling hot,"_ her soft voice uttered. _"Mister Adam, for his Madam, is_ _—"_

"HA!" Hot Spot shouted, pointing at her.

Argent jumped, eyes wide, startled and embarrassed, and promptly dropped the plate she was holding into the sink.


	26. Fairy Tale

Hot Spot led his girlfriend by the arm gently, careful to direct her around every obstacle in her path and warn her whenever she needed to step up or step down. Her eyes were shut, as he had directed her, and her expression was a bit flustered. He caught one of her eyelids cracking open.

"No peeking!" he scolded.

She clamped it shut again, a frown appearing on her face. "Will you _please_ tell me where it is we're going?" she begged wearily.

"Nope!" he told her. He guided her around a parking meter, holding her elbow and patting her shoulder reassuringly. "It's a surprise." He led her down off the curb and back up onto another sidewalk.

"I abhor surprises…" she grumbled under her breath.

Hot Spot just smiled at her, looking ahead down the street to their destination. He brought Argent to a stop once they reached it.

"Okay," he said, "now you can open your eyes."

She did so, blinking a little bit to adjust to the dim light of the evening. When her eyes focused they lit upon the stand-up sign outside the hotel's door.

"'Dark Ages Society Ball'?" she read. Her gaze slid over to Hot Spot in confusion.

"You'll see," he said, taking her hand and pushing open the door for her. She followed him into the entryway and just before they got to lobby she gasped.

The wide hall had been cleared of most of its furniture, replaced instead by a few cushioned chairs around the edges, gleaming golden candelabras blazing with white candles, and, most unusually, a raised dais at the far end with two thrones on it. Seated on them was a fur and jewel-bedecked couple, wearing silver crowns, and swirling around the floor were dozens of couples in period dress, skirts swishing, light laughter drifting up from them. The lilting tune of a string band floated in from a corner.

Argent took it all in, her eyes wide, and made a sound like pure delight. She cupped a hand over her mouth in awe, watching the elegant dancers circle around the room.

"Wh-where… how did you find this?" she asked, turning to her boyfriend.

He stuck a hand in his pocket and said simply, "The internet can be a very helpful place."

She laughed happily, looking at the dancers again.

Hot Spot found what he was looking for and drew his hand out of his pocket again. "Here," he said, holding two paper tickets out to her. "These are the coupons for our costume rentals," he told her.

She stared at the tickets, taking hers slowly, as though in a dream. She looked at it a long moment, and then lifted her eyes to him.

"What?" he said, a little weirded out by her silence.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Hot Spot grunted a bit as her sudden full weight on him tilted him off balance but soon regained his footing and relaxed into her affections. Argent pulled back with an excited squeal.

"Oh I take back every single mean thing I ever said to you!" she declared.

He rolled his eyes. "No you don't."

Ignoring him, she took her ticket and trotted over to the attendant in charge of costume rentals, who curtsied respectfully and escorted her to the ladies' changing room.

-TT-

A few moments later, Hot Spot emerged from his side of the dressing rooms, adjusting his tunic, and found Argent waiting for him. He let out a low whistle. His girlfriend was clad now in a soft lilac and blue frock, with sleeves that flared out from the elbow and a pinkish silk underskirt embroidered through with silver thread in intricate leafy designs. Her hands ran down the elegant material lightly, admiring it.

"Well?" prompted Hot Spot as he came up to her, sensing she had something to say.

She met his gaze, eyes gleaming. "I feel like a princess," she told him, soft smile on her lips.

"That's because you are one dummy," he teased, nudging her cheek with his fist playfully.

She stepped away from him and put her hands on her hips. "What's that make you then?" she challenged.

"I dunno. Your knight in shining armor?"

She threw a look at the ceiling. "Oh hardly! A gentleman such as that would never be so uncouth to his lady."

"I am not 'uncouth'!" he protested. "What does that even mean?"

Argent giggled and took his hand. "Never mind love. You can consider you'self my knight if you so choose." Pulling him towards the dance floor she added, "Your lady is a Lady of War though, I'll have you know."

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "That's cool. I wouldn't want her any other way," he assured her.

-TT-

The couple rotated leisurely in slow circles, in no rush and feeling no need to keep up with the other, more experienced ballroom dancers in the room. Argent's skirt billowed out every time Hot Spot spun her, and since it tickled her so much he did it often.

At a lull in-between songs, the two slipped off to the hallways with the merchandise booths, which were selling all sorts of medieval and Renaissance-era items. Articles of clothing, shoes, instruments, pewter figures, soaps and ointments, weapons, and jewelry were all available for purchase to raise money for the organization hosting the ball. Argent all but dragged her date along behind her as she touched and tried everything.

At a jewelry table she became quite besotted with the crystal necklaces and begged Hot Spot to buy her one. The pyro grimaced when he looked at the price.

"It's uh… a bit hefty, even for you Argent."

She crossed her arms. "If you could afford to get us tickets to this thing in the first place I highly doubt a little necklace is going to be much worse."

Well she had him _there_. That was certainly true enough. He still tried his hardest to dissuade the girl. She pouted, and then abruptly raised her voice.

"Fiend! Thou thieverous knave!" she spouted dramatically, jabbing her finger into his chest. "Hast thou not chivalry enough in thy body to purchase a paltry little trinket for thine lady?"

He stared at her a long, long moment after her outburst.

"…I think you're getting a _liiiitle_ too into this Argent," he said finally.

She ducked her head, a slight blush on her cheeks. "This is the most fun I've had in ages. Can you _really_ blame me?" she asked him.

He sighed. "I guess not."

He bought her the necklace.

They returned to the dance floor shortly after, and spent the rest of their evening there. Argent was positively giddy the whole time, especially when—after starting to complain of aching feet and needing a brief rest—Hot Spot picked her up, sweeping her off her feet quite literally and taking her over to one of the chairs, to sit while he gave her a foot rub. He warmed his hands up with his powers a smidge for her, which was _very_ nice.

She hummed in contentment.

Hot Spot finished up and plopped himself into the chair next to hers. He slipped a hand into hers. "So…" he said hesitantly. "Was tonight okay?"

Argent squeezed his hand.

"You're a darling," she told him.

"Well, I try," he shrugged.

"Tonight was… wonderful," she continued, a sparkle in her crimson eyes. "I dare say even a bit magical."

He patted her hand affectionately. "Good. I'm glad." He looked off towards the dancers. "I thought it would be a nice shake-up from our usual kind of dates."

She chuckled. "Definitely a shake-up. I'm going to be talking about this night for months." She sent him one of her biggest grins. "Best date ever."

He leaned in and nibbled at her ear. "We'll see about that," he whispered.

She smacked at him until he maintained his distance, laughing. When her humor died down, the music drifted in to catch both their attentions. The tune the band was currently playing, surprisingly, was not a period piece but a string arrangement of a popular love song.

The silver-skinned girl smirked. "That's strangely appropriate."

Nudging her, Hot Spot said, "What do you say? One more dance?"

She nodded. "One more."

Argent slipped her shoes back on, let the pyro help her to her feet, and then the two rejoined the swirling ebb and flow of the dancers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frrrrriiiiiiiiiick, I forgot how much I loved this chapter.


	27. Kiss and Make Up

"Have you seen Hot Spot?"

Herald looked up from his computer to see Argent standing in the doorway to his room, her hand on the frame. Not so unusual a sight; Argent often knocked on his or one of the others' doors when she'd misplaced her boyfriend and was trying to find him. His eyes flicked back down to his computer screen.

"Can't say I have," he told her.

Argent sighed disappointedly, turning her head and muttering, "Probably still out blowing off steam somewhere… not that I blame him."

Herald's attention was pulled off the webpage he was reading by the comment and he snapped his laptop closed with a concerned looked at his teammate.

"Okay, spill. Something go down between you two or what?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

Argent gave a sheepish look and pressed her index fingers together. "Well, we, er… had a bit of a row this morning," she confessed with an embarrassed grin.

"Oh for—not _again,_ " Herald groaned, burying his face in one of his hands. He lifted the computer off his lap and set it aside on the top of the bookshelf next to his chair. Standing up he crossed his arms again and asked, "What was it about this time?"

The girl ran a tired hand through her hair. "Oh, something stupid and petty. As usual." Her fingers snagged in her hair as her eyes got a slightly glazed ruminating look. Swiftly coming back to the present though, she told the teleporter, "You might have heard it actually."

Herald blinked in mild confusion at that and racked his brain over the day's events so far. "Is _that_ what that shouting in OPS was when I came to get a snack? I thought y'all were just frustrated at the video game you were playing."

Argent gave a grimace. "It _started_ like that but it… devolved," she explained, summarizing the argument in the mildest of understatements. Shaking her head she continued, "Anyway, I'm just waiting for him to turn up again so we can apologize to each other, make up, and forget the whole thing."

Her teammate raised an eyebrow behind his mask. "Wait, just like that? No cold shoulder or anything?"

The silver-skinned girl put her hands on her hips. "Well it isn't very productive to stay angry at each other forever now is it? Imagine how awkward it would make combat practice and dinnertime."

"Hmm… you have a point there," Herald admitted. He was already imagining the scenario—Argent and Hot Spot sitting as far away from each other as possible, sending icy glares at each other across the table, making thinly veiled references to the topic of their argument in pointed conversations with everyone but each other. (It wasn't very difficult to picture given that it had been _exactly_ what had happened a few weeks before after Hot Spot and Argent's _last_ big fight.)

Argent was already turning to go when the imaginary scene playing through Herald's head came to a close. "If you see him, let me know," she instructed, vanishing from his doorway.

"Uh…" he called after her, moving to fill her vacated spot in the doorway. "What if he's still mad?" he asked. "Can I beat him over the head and tell him you want sloppy make up kisses?"

Argent stopped walking and whirled about with a flustered, "What? 'Sloppy make up'—that's not—I mean—he—I—" She stammered, a distinct blush in her cheeks. "No. Just—just let him be," she managed to get out eventually. "He'll calm down eventually."

"And then you two will have sloppy make-up kisses."

"Right," Argent said without thinking, then realized what he'd said. "I mean—!" She threw out her arms exasperatedly. _"Why are you so fixated on the sloppy make-up kisses?"_ she yelled.

He sent her a sly grin. "Let's just say I have a certain… 'vested interest' in your relationship."

"You've been making bets with Jericho and Wildebeest again haven't you?"

"Maybe."

"You boys _really_ annoy me sometimes you know."

-TT-

The decorative plastic paper crinkled every time he swapped the bouquet from one hand to the other. It made his palms rather sweaty and the pollen invading his nose from the daylilies and roses didn't help his comfort much either. But it was something he was willing to put up with, because the flowers helped boost his confidence to smooth things over with Argent. This wasn't the first time they'd had an argument, and it wouldn't be the last, and he'd gotten into the habit of bringing her a peace offering to make up for things.

She appreciated the gesture. And in turn, after she had taken _her_ go at apologizing for whatever the fight had been about, she would usually gift him with snuggles or—occasionally—expensive tickets to events and things that wound up being their next date.

It was a remarkably efficient system. They'd never stayed mad at each other longer than a day and were back to their normal affections in no time. (Much to the relief of their teammates, who reacted to the two's drama with much nervousness and apprehension and for some reason seemed to disappear for several hours while it was going on.)

Hot Spot made his way to Argent's room and, with great trepidation, knocked on the door.

It slid open after a moment. Argent appeared before him and looked down at her feet uncomfortably upon recognizing him. Hot Spot also glanced to the side and coughed awkwardly.

In spite of the number of times their particular Fight-Cool Off-And Make-Up system had already been performed, this part of the process, strangely, had not gotten any easier for either of them. The two stood together in discomfited silence not making eye-contact. Then, Argent cleared her throat.

"It was a pointless argument and I was wrong to make such a big stink about it," she said, still not looking up. "I apologize. I was being…" She finally raised her face and gave him a self-depreciating smile, slightly blushing. "...a bit of an arse."

He met her eyes. "I'm sorry I called you whiny and stuck-up," he told her.

"I'm sorry I labeled you an obstinate insufferable moron and threw the game console at your head."

He grinned and held out the flowers to her.

"Truce?"

"Truce," she confirmed, taking the bouquet. Peering into it she commented, "I see you got me daylilies again."

"Yeah and they made my nose itch all the way here," he muttered.

She giggled. "Yes, but you love me enough to deal with a few allergens, don't you?"

"Mm-hmm," he hummed, reaching for her and sliding his arm around her petite waist. "Now c'mere you." He pulled her to him and started to nuzzle his nose in her hair but she made a small squeaking sound and put her free hand up to stop him.

"I uh…" she stammered, looking oddly self-conscious. "I'm not in the mood."

"But you're always in the mood for snuggles," Hot Spot pouted.

Argent stepped back and set her flowers down before she explained what was _really_ bothering her. "Okay, I'm really just worried about Herald, Jericho, and Wildebeest spying on us. They've been making bets again about how long after a fight it takes before we crack and start snogging."

Hot Spot made a suitably annoyed expression. Then, taking her hand, he said, "Then let's skip out to somewhere where they can't see us. You up for some shopping?"

She beamed. "Sounds good to me."

And so they departed.


	28. Flight

It had all started off so simply. A casual nudge with an elbow, and a point off towards the Tower in the distance, a playful smile.

"Race you back to the Tower."

What he hadn't anticipated was Argent's rather gung-ho response or the degree of competitiveness she would display during their little competition.

_Or_ her speed.

Hot Spot stared incredulously at the lead his girlfriend had on him. _I knew she was a fast flyer but… dang!_ , he thought to himself.

Argent lazily turned her head back and giggled. "Oh come _on_ , Hot Spot. Surely you can clock more than that?" she teased cheekily.

The pryo grumbled and increased the power to the jets of flame around his hands, propelling him forward in the air. He gained back a good chunk of the distance. "You caught me off guard, is all. It won't happen again," he told her.

"Keep telling yourself that, love," she replied, turning forward again.

They both dropped lower in the air to follow the coastline. Argent breezed over the terrain with only a breath of air stirring to mark her passage. Hot Spot left more noticeable glowing orange trails in his wake, and a warm impression and a gust of heat behind him. Argent pulled up to avoid a lifeguard tower and Hot Spot followed suit, leveling out almost even with her now.

Argent rolled over onto her back in midair to face him again, and pillowed her arms behind her head. It made her look completely relaxed and comfortable despite the high speed she was still traveling at.

"So d'you want to call it now?" she asked. "Because I was just thinking if I win that I should make you pay for Chinese take-out for lunch."

"Chinese take-out again?" he groaned. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Nope!" she said, grinning broadly.

The pyro rolled his eyes. Well, at least he knew what to get her in that case. (She was very fond of orange chicken, pan-fried noodles, and egg drop soup.) "Tell you what," he proposed, "if I win, _you_ can pay for the Chinese take-out. Deal?"

She shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Hot Spot smirked. "Watch out for the tree line," he warned mischievously.

Argent's eyes widened and she flailed about trying to right herself and twist forward again. Laughing, Hot Spot took advantage of her blunder and rocketed forward to take the lead. Behind him Argent's face pinched sourly as she re-assumed normal flying position and discovered she'd never been in any danger of brushing the tree line at all.

Her eyes narrowing at his back she commented, "Sneaky, love. Very sneaky."

She let him have the lead for a moment, veering off towards the left a bit to avoid her boyfriend's fiery wake. While he was busy looking towards the Tower, rapidly approaching in the distance, she got back up to speed and streaked ahead of him again. He didn't even know she had passed him until she tapped his shoulder from above along the way.

"What the—" he sputtered, turning his head about in search of who or what had touched him. His eyes lighted on his girlfriend, in the lead _again_ , and he gaped as she waved back at him pleasantly.

Hot Spot shook his head in defeat.

"Okay, _clearly_ you are the faster flyer here, so why even bother letting me catch up?" he called ahead to her.

She fell back a bit she wouldn't have to yell to talk to him. The wind whipped her dark hair in front of her face, but couldn't hide her grin or the glint in her eyes. "Because it's no fun to just clobber you without any fanfare," she told him.

He made an annoyed grab for her. She flitted out of reach without so much as blinking an eyelash.

"That's more like it!" she encouraged.

Their flight paths dodged in and out of each other as they took the final stretch. To no one's surprise, Argent reached the goal first, slowed down and set her feet lightly on the roof.

"Ha!" she crowed in triumph.

Hot Spot angled his hands down. His jets shut off as his feet hit the roof, and he powered down. He stood still a moment, a hand on his chest, catching his breath.

"Guess I should… pay up huh?" he said to Argent in-between breaths, smiling.

"If you must," she replied, feigning indifference.

He reached back towards the back pocket of his slacks for his wallet, then hesitated and straightened up instead. "On second thought, I'd better wait until my hands have cooled down," he said. "Otherwise I'd be—"

"Oh _don't_ say it," Argent groaned, already seeing the joke coming.

"…burning money," he finished anyway.

Argent smacked a palm to her face.


	29. Gaming

Hot Spot leaned back into the couch and watched with some measure of pride as his girlfriend tapped the buttons on her video game console and battled her way through a subterranean level of the RPG she was playing. Argent wasn't a gamer—not yet anyway, though he was making a decent effort to introduce her to games he thought she'd like—but a few weeks ago she'd seen him at this one and picked up a control in curiosity. She had, since then, gotten rather addicted to the game. Hot Spot helped her out occasionally with the tougher parts, and often gave tactical advice, but mostly let her figure things out on her own.

As Argent's player character wound her way through a mountain pass, and the party trailed behind, Hot Spot straightened a little.

"Okay, this next part here is pretty tough so you'll want to—" he started to explain, but Argent had already spotted the cavern entrance and gunned the controls to forge straight ahead into it. "Or you can just charge right in," he managed, in a defeated tone.

Argent was about to ask what the problem was when the screen suddenly flashed red, alerting her to the presence of enemies. She jumped.

"Bloody—!"

Her thumb smashed one of the buttons repeatedly, spamming her character's sword attacks. The AI-driven party members also engaged the large group of goblins she had just stumbled upon. For several moments there was nothing but a flurry of hacking and slashing, and the occasional magical blast from one of the wizard characters.

Hot Spot studied the screen intently, then pointed up to indicate something in the background to her, and instructed, "Try getting up to that rock over there, on the higher ground."

She moved to do so, but was distracted by a green pop-up on the screen. She groaned in frustration. "'ang on a moment, Wizard Fenrir just died on me again." She paused to enter her combat menu options, and selected a spell to resurrect her killed party member. No sooner had she brought him back, then someone else in the party bit it. Argent retrieved that character as well and then began her attempt to seize the high ground.

It was intensely difficult given that every few steps another goblin blocked her way and engaged her.

Hot Spot tried not to chuckle at the ever-growing annoyance on his girlfriend's face. "Watch your health bar there," he said helpfully, nudging her elbow.

Argent had the player character perform a healing spell on herself, filling the health bar back up. The reprieve was short-lived as yet another goblin came out of nowhere and got in a lucky strike, taking a good chunk out of her health again. Argent gaped incredulously, even as she pounded the buttons to slice the creature up.

"Where do they all keep _coming_ from?" she cried.

Hot Spot shook his head and scooted closer to her. He started reaching tentatively for the control. "Um, I can—"

She batted his hand away, uttering a 'No, let me do it' sort of noise, as she held the controller out of his reach. Hot Spot put up his hands and shifted back again, respecting her insistence to finish the fight on her own.

Argent bit her lip in concentration as she stabbed and slashed at goblin enemies with her character, pausing frequently to cast healing spells on the rapidly dying other members of her party. She hadn't been able to gain the high ground yet, and it was costing her. The screen blinked with green pop-ups over and over again, helpfully informing her that the party member she'd just revived had gone and gotten killed again.

She growled, aggravated, punching uselessly at the buttons. At one point, eying the ever-dropping health bar of one of her companions she burst out, "Oh blast it Hinder, you stupid ornery love interest, _stay alive!"_

Hot Spot couldn't quite begrudge her. He'd spent plenty of time yelling at video game characters too.

Argent gave an aggravated sigh and went to enter her menu options to cast yet another healing spell. Just before the fight paused, another green pop-up appeared, reading:

**Party Member Hinder Killed.**

Her fingers went still. Argent sat quietly, a vein in her temple pulsing, and glared at the screen a long, long moment.

Then she passed Hot Spot the control.

He took it with a grin. Not bothering to resurrect Hinder, the pyro jumped straight back into the fight and managed, with a strategic duck, to break the player character out from the battle. He guided her up to the rock—a few of the AI's following suit—and from there proceeded to rain down destructive spells on the goblins. In a few moments he had routed and killed all of them.

He handed the control back to Argent.

"There you go."

She beamed at him and kissed his cheek. "You're a lifesaver," she gushed.

He crossed his arms behind his head casually. "Well I try." He sent her a smile. "You were actually doing pretty good there."

"Was I?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So when's Mr. Oblivious Designated Love Interest going to get up?" she asked, turning her attention back to the game.

"In a moment," he told her. "Just wait a little bit."

Sure enough, after about twenty seconds, the armor-clad character staggered to his feet, slowly regaining health.

Argent gave the figure a sour look. "I hate having him in the party," she grumbled.

"You could swap him out for Cartill," Hot Spot suggested. "Or Leona."

"I could," she agreed. "But then who would I have such deliciously aggravating post-battle romantic tension dialogues with?"

Hot Spot pantomimed weighing the two options in his hands. "Hmm… increased survivability during battle, or pursuit of a sidequest romance? Knowing you, the scale's about like…" He raised one of his hands much higher than the other. "That."

"Don't make fun of me."

"I wasn't. I think it's cute."

She nudged his knee with her own. "Sap," she teased.

"Shipper," he tossed back.

Argent laughed, then raised her console. "Right then, let's see how Hinder manages to bungle his confession _this_ time," she said, entering a dialogue option with the character on screen.


	30. Terms of Endearment

Herald entered the gym to find a rather unusual confrontation going down between Argent and Hot Spot. The teleporter stopped slowly in his tracks, befuddlement taking over his features.

The two sat facing each other. Argent was draped casually over some weight lifting equipment, her arms resting on a padded handlebar. Hot Spot was powered down, his hands still smoking as though he'd been interrupted while blasting targets. They were staring at each other with intense, determined expressions.

Hot Spot spoke up.

"Sweet Pea."

"Chocolate Fudgecakes," Argent shot back immediately.

Herald was immensely confused. "What are you two—?"

Argent broke eye contact with Hot Spot and straightened up to greet him with a pleasant smile. "Oh, hullo Herald!" she said brightly, in a chipper tone of voice. "We were just having a bit of a contest," she explained.

"Contest?" Herald repeated, still confused.

Hot Spot elaborated. "We're trying to think up sickeningly schmoopy pet names for each other," he told the teleporter. "First to run out loses."

"What d'you think?" asked Argent, with a teasing grin.

A moment of silence passed.

"…I think whoever wins this competition _I_ _lose_ ," Herald groaned. He slumped over to his workout station with a firm resolve to turn his radio up louder than usual.

Hot Spot and Argent snapped instantly back into battle mode, eyes locking. Hot Spot fired off his salvo.

"Vanilla Bean."

Argent was ready. "Snuggle Bear."

"Sugar Creampuff."

"Luvvy Wubsy."

"Ickle Cuddlekins."

" _Ugh_ … I'm getting a cavity just _listening_ to you two," Herald complained, about ready to just forgo his exercise and beat a hasty retreat through a portal.

They ignored him.

Argent smirked self-satisfactorily. "Snoogly Woogly Bubblegum Boo Bear," she said.

Hot Spot's throat made a hoarse retching noise and his whole body twitched in revulsion. Over where he was Herald felt like gagging, and firmly slapped one hand over his mouth while the other clutched the bar of a dumbbell set tightly.

Their female teammate rested her chin on her arms with a grin. "I can keep going all day," she told Hot Spot pleasantly. Sending him a flirtatious look she leaned forward. "Come on love," she teased. "Hit me with your best shot."

Hot Spot frowned, staring past his girlfriend as he thought. An idea came to him. Abruptly, he scooted forward, grabbed Argent's face with both hands, and pulled her face to his. She made a startled squeak, eyes widening and hands slipping off their perch on the handlebars, as their lips met. Hot Spot's kiss was tender, and gentle, and sent warmth flushing through her from her head to her toes.

Herald chose that moment to glance over and see what they were doing, and promptly fell off his bench.

Hot Spot pulled back slowly, still holding Argent's face. He dropped his voice to a soft whisper.

"Darling."

She giggled, her face taken up by a huge grin, her expressed dazed and lovestruck. She didn't even have it in her to get indignant at his obvious display of cheating. She just grinned and said nothing, and looked up at him with happily glazed eyes.

At his station, Herald awkwardly put his weights back where they belonged.

 _On second thought_ , he decided, _I can do my workout later._

He turned the volume on his radio down, switched it to a station playing some cheesy hit love song, and surreptitiously exited the room.

* * *


	31. Linked

"So then I told him—What about this one? How's it look?"

"Clashes a bit with your 'air, love."

"Thought so—then I told him the next time he ran off to Paris to stop a hostage situation and leave me behind to pay the check he had to at _least_ bring back some chocolate," Jinx regaled to the New Zealander. "Or take me with him." The sorceress pulled a dress out from the rack and held it up to her chest. "Oh, I _like_ this one," she declared, turning it this way and that to check the lay and fit of it.

Argent smiled at the dress in approval. "Du Claire's summer line. _Nice_."

"And it's on sale!" Jinx crowed. She tossed the dress over her arm. "Okay, we'll add this one to the try-on pile." Sifting through the hangers on the rack, she asked over her shoulder, "Did you decide whether or not you wanted those skinny jeans?"

"I'll try 'em on but I'm pretty sure they'll be too long," Argent said, twirling her hair around a finger idly. "One of th' hazards of being short y'know?" A flash of red on the rack caught her eyes. "Oooh, that looks—" Her enthusiasm dipped as she pulled it out. "Never mind," she said. "Sleeveless. Won't be able to hold it up."

"Ugh, I know," Jinx groaned in commiseration. "It's impossible to find cute tops when you're flat-chested."

Argent slipped the dress back onto the rack. "I've always hated that cut that comes down right here to your collarbone," she said, marking her front with the side of her hand where she meant, "and then goes straight down in a V. It's fine for girls who actually _have_ cleavage to fill it out, I mean, but us smaller girls would much prefer not to be hanging out all the time." She gave a good-humored grin and pointed to her uniform. "It's hard enough keeping this old thing up."

"I just wish I could find stuff in colors that compliment my skin tone," Jinx told her. She poked her cheek self-deprecatingly. "You'd think silver-white would go with anything."

"The manufacturers aren't thinking of us pale-skinned girls I'm 'fraid," Argent said, giving a shrug of her shoulders.

"Case in point…" the other girl drawled. Jinx wandered over to the next rack, pulling out a vivid green halter-top so bright it could have been seen in the next district. "Who was asleep at their desk when _this_ color got approved?"

Argent put a hand to her chin and studied the garment a moment. "Actually," she considered, "that might not look so bad on you."

Jinx held the hanger up to her chest skeptically. "You think?"

"It'd wash me right out but with your pink 'air and eyes I think you could pull it off well." Teasing, she added, "And if you get into a fight you could blind your enemy with its brightness."

"Great. Then I can go down in history as the only girl who defeated a supervillain by wearing chartreuse."

Both of them laughed.

"All right, let's get to the dressing room before this thing combusts from its own brilliance or something," Jinx said, gathering up the garments she wanted to try on.

"Right," acknowledged Argent, turning around to get her things. "It's over—"

Argent paused with a frown, staring into the full-length mirror on the wall nearby. It wasn't showing her reflection, like it normally would. Or at least, that wasn't what she was seeing. Instead, Argent saw a very frozen, very clear image of Hot Spot desperately throwing a fireball at a heavily-armored monster with glistening green scales. It was gone when she blinked, but the picture was burned into her mind like an afterimage.

She sighed.

"'ang on a minute love, the psychic link is acting up again."

"The... What?" Jinx asked, completely befuddled.

Argent said nothing as she pulled out her communicator and flipped it open. She held up a finger, indicating for Jinx to wait. The sorceress leaned back, putting most of her balance on one foot, and watched in confusion as the screen brought up a picture of Hot Spot's face.

"Where _are_ you guys?" he complained. "I'm getting my butt kicked up—"

"It's me you dolt," Argent interrupted.

His glowing eyes widened a little in surprise. "I thought you were shopping."

"I am."

He groaned, looking over his shoulder a moment. "This isn't really a good time, Argent."

"So I gathered." Argent tapped the side of her head. "Link showed me what you're up against. Need any help?"

"I've _got_ this," he told her gruffly.

"Really? Because last I heard you were getting your arse kicked."

Hot Spot gave an aggravated huff, flames popping up briefly from the back of his head. "The guys are on their way. I'll be fine," he promised her.

"All right. If you're sure. Call me if anything changes."

He rolled his eyes. "You'll know if anything changes."

"True," she admitted.

He hung up.

Argent glared at the blank screen. "Stubborn." Pocketing her communicator, she straightened up. Jinx was looking at her questioningly, arms crossed, body language calmly demanding an explanation.

"Well?" she prompted.

The New Zealander brushed a strand of hair behind her ear sheepishly. "Er… right. Well… Hot Spot and I—and the other H'san Natall kids—have this sort of mental link to each other. It lets us know when one of us in mortal peril," she explained.

Jinx took this in and raised an eyebrow. "Seems like it'd be a distraction, considering our line of work," she pointed out.

"Well it only kicks up when we're separated," Argent elaborated. She tapped one of the hangers in her hand absentmindedly. "And it doesn't really work over long distance."

"Isn't Hot Spot up in the North Island?"

"Long _-er_ distance," the other girl clarified. "I haven't seen sight nor sound of either Prysm or Risk in ages. 'course that could just be because they're handlin' things all right or not actually getting into mortal peril."

"Mmn."

Kid Flash was suddenly at their side, startling them. "Hey, how long is this gonna take?" he asked. "'cause I'm starting to get a little peckish."

His girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Like you aren't always." She held up her selection on try-ons. "We're going to try these on and see what we like. Then we'll head to the desk. In the meantime, feel free to make use of the food court."

"Thanks Jinx!" he chirped.

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek and then was off again.

"He's such a dork sometimes," Jinx sighed.

"I know the feeling," Argent commiserated. She gestured towards the fitting rooms. "Shall we?"

-TT-

The bag swung between the two girls as they walked, heading for another store. Kid Flash trotted along behind them, munching from a bag of pretzels. The undercurrent of chatter drifted all around them, and the sun's warmth cut through the chilly conditioned air of the shopping center as they passed underneath the large glass windows. Argent chatted leisurely with her Titan friend, unconcerned about the few people giving the trio curious stares.

"—robots shooting at me with laser rifles and dropping bombs at me. And I distinctly remember thinking 'Who the bloody blazes brings a bomb-dropping robot army to fight a sixteen-year-old?' It occurred to me then that they probably didn't care too much about collateral damage so I decided, screw it, and just let them blow up the dam behind me."

"I studied the prototype designs for those things in HIVE Academy once," Jinx mused. "It was for my Technology and Applications class. Just one of them packs enough firepower to total a semi truck in one blast."

"I believe it," Argent drolled.

"And General Immortus was there in person to command them? You were screwed the moment they showed up."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Jinx." Argent let her eyes drift over the store fronts, scanning the display windows. "I hindsight I believe that one too. I—Oh, for the love of—"

She stopped suddenly at one of the windows. Barely pausing a moment to look at the new oracle shimmering in the glass Argent yanked out her communicator again. Jinx halted at the interruption, causing Kid Flash to bump into her from behind. He "oof"-ed and his pretzels scattered as he recovered.

Argent didn't wait for a response on the other end before she spoke.

"Are you _sure_ you don't need any assistance?"

A loud roaring could be heard in the background and Hot Spot looked a little more worried and anxious than he'd been last time.

"I'm starting to lean towards no, I'm not sure, would you please come help me?" he confessed.

Argent smiled. "Will do love. See you in a bit." She stowed her communicator away and turned to the other two. "Sorry dears, Hot Spot's in a bit of a 'spot', as it were. I'll 'ave to cut our shopping trip a jot short."

Kid Flash perked up. "A fellow Titan in need of help? Just point me in the right direction."

The New Zealander waved her hand in the general direction of the trouble. "North Island, that way. Just don't run faster than I can fly."

"Gotcha. Alley-oop, Slowpoke!" Kid Flash chirped, gathering Jinx up into his arms, shopping bag and all. Jinx, by now quite used to this, just sighed and settled her arms around his neck.

"And off we go on another harrowing adventure," she pronounced flatly.

-TT-

It didn't take long for the three of them to get to the scene, taking a shortcut over the water. The scaly green menace was tiring out, but still had the upper hand against the other members of Titans Oceanic. Herald and Jericho were both out cold, on opposite ends of the street. Wildebeest was nowhere to be seen at first, and Hot Spot was stuck underneath a billboard, which the monster was stomping on, trying to squash him underfoot.

Jinx distracted the creature with a hex to the back of the head, which made its ears ring with pain. Kid Flash set her down by a lamp post, zipped off with the shopping bag and found a safe place to stash it, and then started running circles around the creature. Already dizzy from Jinx's shot of bad luck, the monster's eyes rolled and it stumbled, trying to keep track of the speedster.

That was when Argent cracked it upside the head with a plasma boxing glove. It lurched to the side, toppling heavily to the pavement, and sat there, blinking stupidly and making no further move to attack.

Kid Flash slid to a neat stop in front of it. "I'm watching you mister," he warned, holding up a fist.

" _Bluurrrrghhh…"_ it voiced dully.

Argent formed hands with her powers and lifted the billboard wreckage off from her boyfriend. He staggered to his feet, placing a hand on his head and brushing some flammable debris off his glowing neck.

"You got here in the nick of time." Grinning, he crossed over to her, slipping a warm hand around her waist. "Thanks babe," he said, pecking her cheek.

She flinched a little from the heat but otherwise looked exceedingly amused and content. "Aren't you so glad I can keep tabs on you?" she teased, raising a hand and forming a large cage around the creature, which still looked too confused to figure out it had been defeated.

"Am now," he replied, hugging her closer.

Jinx, meanwhile, discovered that even giant mutated monsters with bulging black eyes were not immune to the blinding effects of a chartreuse green blouse.

"Ouch, Jinx," Kid Flash complained, covering his eyes. "Could you turn that off? You could burn someone's retinas out with that."

Jinx smirked as the creature curled into a pitiful ball, covering its head with its arms. She stuffed the garment back into her bag.

"Forces of Evil, zero," she quipped. "Forces of Fashion, one."

* * *


	32. Unexpected

Herald, Jericho, and Wildebeest stared awkwardly at the sight on the couch. Hot Spot and Argent were sitting there, together of course, and had apparently both fallen asleep watching the television. Argent's head leaned against the pyro's shoulder and her legs were curled up underneath her. Hot Spot had one hand in a popcorn bowl in his lap. Their eyes were closed, their breathing steady. They weren't waking up anytime soon.

Jericho slowly raised his hands to sign.

 _Should we… move them?_ he posed uncertainly.

"I dunno…" Herald said. "They look pretty comfy where they are."

Wildebeest grunted his agreement.

They stared another long moment.

 _Can we at least turn off the television?_ Jericho asked plaintively. _I wanted to call Kole._

"Feel free," Herald invited him, waving a hand.

Jericho moved around the couch, picked up the abandoned remote and switched the television off. As he moved to the computer console to make his call he signed, _What were they watching anyway?_

Herald had picked up the TV Guide sitting near the sleeping couple on the couch. "Either a cricket game, infomercials, re-runs of some sitcom I've never heard of, the premiere of that high fantasy series thing, or _Titanic_ on the movie channel." He glanced up. "Given the popcorn bowl, I'm guessing _Titanic_."

 _No wonder they fell asleep_ , Jericho quipped with a smile.

Wildebeest was rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the sleeping Hot Spot and Argent. Then he gestured to Herald and Jericho, grunted a suggestion, and then proceeded to dump out his bag of groceries to make use of the plastic bag.

Herald put up his hands, backing away. "Hold up, WB," he said, knowing _exactly_ what Wildebeest planned to do with that bag. "Let me skedaddle before you go doing that."

Wildebeest growled but gave a nod. As Herald detached his horn from his belt, the bestial Titan began blowing up the bag with air, until it was neatly puffed out. He tied off the ends. Then he walked up behind the couch and held it over Hot Spot and Argent's heads.

From where he was sitting, Jericho signed, _They're going to kill you, you know._

Wildebeest shrugged noncommittally.

"Been nice knowing you," Herald said with a little wave. He blew on his horn and had soon vanished from the room.

Wildebeest waited exactly five seconds before he popped the bag with his hands.

_BANG!_

Argent and Hot Spot jolted straight up with matching wide-eyed expressions, sending the popcorn bowl flying. Kernels scattered all across the floor at their feet.

It was a very funny sight until they turned in tandem and chased Wildebeest out of the room.

Jericho gave a silent sigh, shaking his head, and just switched on the communicator function on the mainframe.

-TT-

"Well drat. We couldn't possibly be angry at 'im now," Argent said, her hands on her lips.

"Speak for yourself," Hot Spot grumbled.

The chase had been a short one. In a stroke of genius, Wildebeest had reverted back to his human form. The two of them now stood looking down at a pudgy dark-haired toddler who just sat on the floor looking adorable and innocent.

His watery eyes looked up at them and he cooed.

"I hate it when he does that," Hot Spot complained, as Argent giggled, reached down, and scooped the child up.

"That was a devious and wicked trick, Wildebeest," she scolded halfheartedly, rubbing their noses together. "Yes it was."

She was using her Small Cute Things Voice, Hot Spot noted without enthusiasm. (Proximity to small dogs, cats, or children tended to make her do that.) He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're going to make a _horrible_ disciplinarian when we're married and have our own kids," he told her. "One look at their cute little faces and you'll let them get away with anything."

Argent considered this as she bounced the toddler Wildebeest in her arms. "Hmm… you may have a point. Perhaps I'll leave the disciplining up to you." Sending a sly look his direction she asked, "But what's with this sudden talk of marriage and children eh? We're not getting serious about _us_ are we?"

Hot Spot choked as if something had died in his throat. Sputtering, he said, "What did—but—I just—that's not—"

Argent laughed and slung an arm around his shoulder, kissing him on the cheek. "I do so love it when you get flustered."

"Don't even joke like that," he whined. "I never know if you're serious or not."

Some of her good humor dimmed and she stepped back, balancing baby Wildebeest on her hip. "Would it really be so awful if we did get married?" she asked, concerned. "Where exactly is this relationship headed, Isaiah? Where do you see us in the future?"

 _Oh crap!_ Hot Spot thought, his mind grinding to a halt. Why did she have to ask one of _those_ questions? He felt his inner heat spiking from the nervousness and panic. For a few moments he struggled to come up with an answer and drew a blank. _Gotta think of something_ , he thought. _Um… um…_

He hadn't actually thought about it much before. The earlier comment about Argent making a bad parent had just sort of slipped out. But now that he stopped to consider it, the prospect wasn't entirely outlandish. He could see them progressing to that point, very naturally.

Relieved now, he cleared his throat.

"I think we'll still be together, maybe not married but together. If we were to uh, you know, make it official it wouldn't surprise me. And you'd be as beautiful as ever of course."

He peeked up at her to see her reaction.

She considered his reply for a moment, and then her smile returned. Hooking her arm around his neck she said, "Good answer." and pressed her lips to his. He slid his arms around her waist, grateful to have navigated that land mine of a question without upsetting her, and returned the gesture.

Wildebeest covered his face with his hands in embarrassment.


	33. Jitters

Hot Spot tapped his foot impatiently as he stood outside Argent's door, and checked his watch. Sighing at the time, he crossed his arms. The folds of his tuxedo jacket crinkled around his elbows, a little tighter fitting than he usually liked. After another couple minutes he leaned forward and knocked on the door, a few quick raps.

"You know our reservation is for 6:30, right?" he called in to his girlfriend.

"Just a sec!" came her muffled response from behind the door.

"And that Herald is absolutely not going to be our ride for the evening?" he added.

"I am _literally_ finishing up the last few touches as we speak, Spotty," she said, slightly annoyed now. "'ang onto your hat will ya?"

Hot Spot looked at his watch again, timing her.

After about eight seconds, he heard her call out, "'kay, I'm ready!"

"Finally," he muttered to himself. He pressed the button to slide open the door. Taking a couple steps in, he found his mind suddenly going blank and he stopped in his tracks at the sight of Argent's dress.

His brain registered… red. And… legs. And not much else.

Argent grinned, raised her arms and gave a little twirl, billowing out the long skirt with its side splits up to _there_ and the quick flashes of her pale white thighs were like a sledgehammer to his brain.

"Whatcha think?" she teased, coming to a stop and flashing a million watt smile.

It took a couple tries for him to pull his eyes up to her face to notice her bright red lipstick and soft lavender eye shadow, and the sparkly silver jewelry around her neck and in her ears. Even so, the most he could manage was, "Buh?"

Argent laughed and made her way over to him, flicking his chin with her white opera-gloved fingers lightly. "Don't hurt you'self, dear," she told him, picking up her clutch purse. "It wouldn't do to turn up at the dinner with drool soaking your collar."

"Right," Hot Spot said, shaking himself out of his stupor. He slid his arm around hers. "You nervous?" he asked her.

"A little," she admitted, as they started down the hall. "I've done introduction speeches like this a couple times before but never to so big a crowd."

"You'll be fine," he assured her.

"I certainly hope so," she drawled flatly. "I'd hate to throw up all over this dress."

They made their way up to the roof. The chilly night air bit their skin and the stars were already out, twinkling above them. The moon was a silver crescent hanging low in the sky. Its light glimmered on the surface of the ocean like so many tiny jewels on a black carpet. The two of them stepped up to the edge of the roof.

"Ready?" Hot Spot asked.

Argent nodded.

-TT-

Flying with linked arms in formal attire was a bit tricky. Hot Spot had to carefully direct the angle of his fire jet to avoid catching either the hem of his slacks or Argent's dress on fire with a stray spark, and Argent carried most of their weight, but eventually they set down on the roof of the hotel where their dinner was taking place.

They attracted a couple odd looks from a pair of maids and a janitor as they made their way down into the hotel itself, but once they reached the ballroom on the penthouse level they were joined by several other well-dressed men and women and mostly blended in with the crowd. A waiter showed the couple to their table and left the menu for the evening at their places.

Argent wrung her hands nervously, taking sips from her water glass. As more and more people were seated, she grew increasingly agitated. She opened her clutch purse and dug around for her notes, and flipped through them.

"On behalf of the Auckland City Council," she recited to herself under her breath, "and the Thousand Smiles Charity, I am pleased to introduce to you tonight a man yadda yadda yadda esteemed and high-regarded…" She squeezed her notes in her hands, staring at the white table cloth and willing down the butterflies churning in her stomach. "Oh gosh this is terrible."

"No it's not," Hot Spot told her sternly. "It's a basic boring introductory speech. You spout a few pleasantries, list off the speaker's accomplishments, and then take a bow. Nice and short."

"Not short enough," Argent muttered. She straightened up, grabbed her glass and began chugging down her water like it was some kind of alcoholic beverage.

"Stop that," Hot Spot scolded gently, taking the glass away from her. "You're up in two minutes and you can't afford a bathroom break right now."

Argent flushed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Sorry. You're right. I can do this." She fanned her face lightly. "Hold it together, Toni," she admonished herself.

As the waiter brought breadsticks and salad around, Argent breathed in and out deeply, concentrating only on that to calm her racing heart. Hot Spot was about halfway through his salad when he glanced over at her and saw that she hadn't touched her plate. Not that he could blame her.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked anyway.

She shook her head. "Couldn't eat a thing. Too queasy. I'll feel better once my speech is over with." She sent a wry smile his way. "You'll come catch me if I look like I'm about t' faint won't you?"

He grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his lips to give her knuckles a quick kiss. "What kind of guy would I be if I didn't?" he asked rhetorically, grinning at her.

Argent squeezed his hand and then picked up her notes again. She read over them several times to make sure she had her points memorized. The butterflies fluttered anxiously in her stomach but she managed to ignore them.

Hot Spot quickly scarfed through his appetizers and looked up towards the stage at the far end of the ballroom. The event coordinator was motioning to him. He nudged Argent's shoulder and pointed over towards her.

"I think they're ready for you."

Argent hopped up from her seat. "Wish me luck," she breathed, bending down and planting a kiss on him. The kiss scrambled his brain and his response was less, "Good luck." than "Gulluck." but Argent didn't seem to mind, and made her way up to the stage. Hot Spot stared after her, watching the way her skirt swished around her legs.

 _Those legs_ , he thought. _Those leeeeeegs…_

He was still quite braindead when Argent got up to the podium and the spotlight shone on her pale face, making her look a little washed out.

-TT-

She took a deep breath as the room hushed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," she began. "On behalf of the Auckland City Council and the Thousand Smiles Charity, I am pleased to introduce to you tonight a man dedicated to making the lives of children all over the world a little happier."

As she listed off the various awards and accomplishments of the event's main speaker, she stole a glance towards the back table where Hot Spot waited for her. He seemed quite mesmerized by her words, his eyes glazed over with a dreamy look. Argent privately congratulated herself for her choice in dress. She had been a little hesitant about it at first, thinking the red might overemphasize her bangs and eyes. A quick call to her mother had swayed her decision. Mrs. Monetti had taken one look at the dress, especially the long side splits, and said, "Go for it. You'll be a knockout."

Given Hot Spot's reaction, Argent thought, her mother's words had proved quite prophetic. She did so love bamboozling him and dazzling him with her beauty. He went so cutely incoherent.

"And so," she concluded, "with no further ado I present CEO Adam Laidecker."

She waved a hand off towards the dapper, well-dressed older gentleman waiting at the edge of the stage and stepped back from the podium as light applause broke out. Mr. Laidecker took the podium, nodding cordially at her, and she quietly faded into the background and departed the stage.

The butterflies in her stomach flapped nervously but the tingle of adrenaline she always felt giving public speeches was subsiding. She made her way back to her table, breathless and excited. Hot Spot clapped softly for her as she returned to him.

"Nailed it," he told her. "Like I knew you would."

"Only because I have such excellent moral support," she gushed, pulling out her chair and taking a seat. She started chowing down at once, the queasiness blocking her hunger having abated.

"That's not the only excellent support you have," she heard him mutter.

"Beg pardon?" she asked, turning to him. "Speak up, Spotty. I didn't quite hear that."

Looking suddenly bashful Hot Spot sputtered, "Uh—well—you—I mean—" He couldn't make eye contact. "You've just got… really… really nice legs," he finished, staring determinedly at the table.

Flattered, Argent scooted her chair closer so she could tuck herself under the pyro's arm. "Glad you think so dearie," she said, gazing up at him coyly. "I picked this dress to wear tonight especially to show them off."

"I could tell," he chuckled. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he leaned over and spoke into her ear. "You owe me a dance later."

"Will do love," she cooed as the middle-age woman sharing their table, finally too disgusted with their affection to sit there any longer, slid her chair back, tossed her napkin on the table, and left without a word.


	34. Rude Interruptions

"You should see your hair, Joey," Herald laughed, as the Titans Oceanic made their way to OPS.

_Don't need to_ , the boy signed miserably. _I can feel how it's sticking up all over the place._

"Least it looks better than mine," Argent muttered. She trailed her fingers through the hair at the back of her head, the ends of which had been burned off. "I think I might have to get my 'air cropped to get rid of the singed ends."

Wildebeest made a grunting comment, commiserating. (His fur was matted and sticky with clumps of slime, which he too would have to hack off.)

"Yeah, way to set your girlfriend on fire, Hot Spot," Herald snarked.

Hot Spot gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm _sorry_ , okay? I really am. I honestly was not aiming for you."

"I know love, I'm not blaming you," Argent told him. "Even if I were, I think that mouthful of slime that one creature shoved down your throat is punishment enough."

At the reminder, the pyro gave a full-body shudder. " _Uggghh_ …" he said, shivering. "I can still _taste_ the stuff."

"Don't even think about kissing me for a while then."

The doors opened for them and they stepped in. Almost immediately they noticed that the land-line phone was ringing.

"Woah hey!" Herald exclaimed, leaping to pick it up.

"If it's the containment unit, ask them why the heck they took so long to make it to the scene after we _finally_ beat their little science projects," Hot Spot grumbled, following behind the teleporter and finding a corner of the kitchen counter to lean on.

The rest of them filed in and spread out. Jericho aimed straight for the sink, to pat his hair down with water. Wildebeest came up to Argent and put his hand on her shoulder, huffing and grunting something apologetic to her.

She laughed. "Don't worry about it. It's not your fault I'm tiny."

" _Snort."_ He pantomimed a clipping motion, as though he was holding scissors.

"All right, I'll get it later," Argent promised. She wandered over to join Jericho and Hot Spot in the kitchen.

Herald, meanwhile, had reached the phone. "Hello?" he answered.

He listened to the voice on the other end for a few moments, and something about the way he suddenly stilled attracted the attention of the others. They looked over curiously. Herald lowered the phone from his ear, hesitated a moment, and then turned around.

He held the handset out to Argent, awkwardly.

"Uh… it's for you," he told her.

He didn't even need to say who was on other end of the line.

Argent had already been frowning, but now she outright scowled. She glared at the phone for a moment, but then with a resigned sigh she stepped forward and took it, whipping it up to her ear.

" _What?_ " she snapped.

The Titans heard the voice on the other end make an annoyed comment.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Shall I correct my tone then?" Argent asked, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

The voice on the other end rose sharply.

"Please, by all means, let me know if you have anything to say _besides_ complaining about my tone of voice."

Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, Herald and Hot Spot started edging towards the door. A moment later Jericho and Wildebeest started following their lead. As Argent's voice rose in volume, the four of them surreptitiously exited the room.

-TT-

They weren't sure how long the phone call went on. Argent shouted periodically behind the door, alternately angry or upset. There was a long stretch where they couldn't hear anything. Argent's voice was low and strained, and came through the steel muffled. Hot Spot wandered off somewhere during that interval, and the other Titans didn't see him again until it sounded like the argument was winding down.

-TT-

" _I don't understand you, Toni. I_ ** _always_** _made sure you and your mother were provided for! I gave you everything! You always had designer clothes in the latest fashions, the priciest accessories, a shiny new computer every year! And you still just walked out on us, on all of that?"_

"I didn't _want_ all that!" Argent cried. She reached up and fisted a handful of dark hair, biting her lip. "All right, maybe I _did_ at the time," she admitted. Quickly she went on, "But that's because I was shallow and didn't know any better! Asking for stuff was easier than asking for you to take just _one day off_ to spend time with me!" She tried to keep the tremble out of her voice as she continued. "All I ever wanted was for you to pay _attention_ to me!"

Her father's voice was laced with exasperation. "And yet whenever I do _now_ , you pitch a big giant fit."

"Because every word out of your mouth is a criticism," Argent said bitterly. Shaking herself, she lifted the phone a tad higher. "Look, I _know_ you don't approve of my friends, and I know you think this hero thing is just a phase." Her voice hardened. "But it's _not_ , Dad. It's who I am." She moved toward the kitchen, where the jack for the phone was. "So while I appreciate your concern, I'm _not_ giving this up."

" _Toni_ _—"_

Argent mashed the button to hang up and slammed the phone back into its jack. She took a deep, shuddering breath. She felt drained, like she'd spent another round fighting supervillains. She put a hand over her face, trying to hold herself in. Blinking furiously, she turned away from the kitchen.

-TT-

"I can't hear anything. Can you?"

_Nope._

"Think it's safe to go in?"

Jericho shrugged.

Herald rolled his eyes. "You're a big help."

Wildebeest grunted and brought their attention to Hot Spot's return. They turned to see the pryo walking up, a thin white box with gold wrapping in his hands.

"It is over?" he asked.

_Sounds like_ , Jericho told him. _It's been quiet for about five or six minutes._

Hot Spot immediately moved to go past them and open the door. Herald held up a cautious hand.

" _IIIIII_ wouldn't go in there," he warned.

"It does no one any good to let her stew in her own misery. The sooner we get her cheered up, the better. Now if you'll _excuse me,_ " Hot Spot growled, elbowing past the teleporter, "I have a girlfriend to console."

Herald shrugged and stood aside to let the pyro by.

-TT-

Hot Spot surveyed the room, his eyes sweeping from right to left in search of her. When he didn't spot her right away, he guessed she was probably lying on the couch. So he walked over. Sure enough, Argent was there, curled up and stretched out on the cushions, staring blankly out the window. Her eyes were red (well, red _der_ ) and the edges gleamed with moisture.

He came around and sat next to her feet. "Hey."

"'lo," she murmured.

"You all right?"

She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Not certain yet."

Hot Spot held out the box. "I brought chocolate."

Argent raised her head from the couch, a faint smile starting to spread across her lips. "Did you now?"

"Here." Hot Spot plucked the top cover off the box and set it down on the coffee table. Argent sat up, her feet dropping to the floor. She scooted closer, one hand fingering the edge of her collar. The sweet smell drifted up to her from the box, and she had to admit, the familiar scent soothed her.

She plucked a round piece from the box and popped it in her mouth. Hot Spot set the box down in his lap. He leaned back against the seat and looked over at her as she chewed.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

She shook her head, swallowing. "Not really," she replied.

Hot Spot was quiet for about… five seconds. Then, "What'd your dad have to complain about this time?"

Argent brushed a messy strand of hair away from her brow. Her mouth twitched in a grim, tired smile. "Actually… he heard about the battle and he was worried about me."

The pyro looked over at her, narrowing his eyes skeptically. "Really?" he asked, disbelieving.

"Yeah. Imagine that. He was afraid I'd gotten hurt in the fight." She sighed. "That _you_ had hurt me when you accidentally singed my 'air."

Hot Spot grimaced. "I'm never going to live that one down, am I?"

"Probably not," Argent laughed.

He huffed dramatically and slouched, crossing his arms. "So your dad hates me. What else is new?"

Argent ducked her gaze, looking slightly reluctant. "Erm… well… He threatened to lobby for a bill calling for immediate cessation of superhero activities and the dissolution of Titans Oceanic."

"What?" Hot Spot barked, straightening up immediately, his inner temperature spiking. "He can't do that!"

"I told him as much, believe me," Argent said, putting a firm hand on his hot shoulder in a silent injunction to calm down. "I said we'd just move to a new Tower somewhere else, and if he wanted us to _permanently_ disband, he'd have to take it up with Robin and make _him_ order us to stop." Argent snitched a few more chocolates from the box as she continued dryly, "Unsurprisingly he seemed a bit reluctant to go that far."

Hot Spot forced himself to simmer down. The tiny flickers of fire that had started at the back of his neck fizzled out. He imagined trying to force the Boy Wonder to stop _any_ part of the Titans network from fighting supervillains and saving lives. He didn't see it ending well.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I wouldn't want to take it up with Robin either, if I were him."

She gave a chuckle. "Anyway, he backed down after that. Tried to compromise for just me quitting the Titans."

"I hope you told him no."

"'course." Argent slid her arm around Hot Spot's shoulders, curling up next to him and melting into his embrace as he put his arms around her. "I can't imagine any part of my life without this now," she murmured. "Without the Titans." She looked up at him. "Without us."

Her eyes were a lot clearer now, her gaze soft and gentle. He held her eyes with his a long moment, then leaned in towards her mouth…

The phone rang again.

The two broke apart, and Argent heaved a sigh, rolling reluctantly back onto her feet. She crossed over to the kitchen and picked it up. She pressed the button to answer it.

"Yeah?" she said wearily. She listened for a few moments, then dipped her head. "I'm sorry too," she said. Hot Spot looked over the back of the couch and watched as she listened, nodding occasionally. "All right," she said. "Yes sir… You too… Goodbye."

_Bip!_

Glancing over, Argent smiled at the heads hovering around the edges of the doorway.

"You can come in, boys. The worst of the drama is over," she told them.

Herald, Jericho, and Wildebeest inched out from behind the doorframe and gradually made their way back into the room.

_We'd miss you a lot if you ever left the Titans_ , Jericho signed.

Argent raised an eyebrow. "Eavesdropping, were you?"

The boy raised his hands sheepishly.

"I'd miss you too." She walked over and grabbed Jericho for a hug. "Don't worry, I'm not goin' anywhere just yet," she whispered, patting his curly hair. She pulled back with a big grin, putting her fists on her hips. "They'd 'ave to drag me away kicking and screaming."

"They'd have to get through me first," Hot Spot piped up with from the couch.

"And the rest of us," Herald added.

"Lovely to hear, 'gents." Argent ambled back over to the couch and slid her arms around Hot Spot's neck, nuzzling her nose against his ear.

He gave her a lazy grin and raised the chocolate box up from his lap. "More?"

"Don't mind if I do," she replied, reaching around him to take a few more.


	35. Interracial

"And here's your change," the vendor said, handing Hot Spot a bill and a couple coins. "Have a lovely afternoon!" she told him.

"Thanks," he said, taking the change in his free hand. He slipped the bill and coins into his pocket, and then balanced the turkey-leg-on-a-stick on top of the carton of chili nacho salad he'd just bought. He slid the carton off the vending booth counter and turned to take it and the turkey leg over to Argent. His girlfriend was standing near the median, in the shade of the tall blossoming crepe myrtles, eyes on the phone she held in her hands.

As Hot Spot made his way over to her he caught a slight movement in the corner of his eye. He paused a moment, looked in that direction, and caught a glimpse of someone ducking behind a bush. He peered into the shrubbery, frowning. It had looked like that brown-haired man with the goatee and the blue baseball hat again. He and a guy with spiky blonde hair had been dogging their steps for a while, always on the periphery of his vision, hiding behind something or pretending to be occupied whenever he or Argent turned back to look. Hot Spot had glimpsed both of them with cameras. Paparazzi stalkers, he was thinking. Not dangerous, not by a long shot, but definitely annoying.

He brought his girlfriend her food, gesturing off towards where their friendly tag-a-longs were hiding.

"Hey Argent? I think those guys with the cameras are following—" He broke off. Argent wasn't looking at him, busy giving her phone a nasty look and typing furiously on the keypad. Hot Spot almost laughed at her expression. "What are you doing?" he asked, coming up to stand beside her.

Argent's scowl deepened. "Banning people from my fansite," she said tersely.

"What, are they posting spam links again?"

"Worse." Argent stopped her irate tapping for a moment and sighed, looking up at him. "You remember our date to the aquarium a couple days back?"

Hot Spot's mind brought an image of the two them by the shark tank to the fore, Argent holding tight to his arm as they watched the feeding. Good date.

"Yeah..." he answered cautiously, not sure where she was going with this.

"Well _someone_ —" Argent nodded towards their two stalkers. "—probably one of those pressies—snapped a few pictures of us and leaked it to the tabloids." Argent held up the phone, showing him the screen. "And now a small corner of the internet is having conniptions," she explained. Argent didn't give him enough time to actually read the webpage, resuming her agitated typing. "A significant chunk of my regular forum posters are suffering meltdowns and a horde of newbie posters just showed up to complain, and they're all being such stupid hateful _obnoxious_ —" Argent cut herself off and cleared her throat, regaining her calm. "Let's just say they're saying some not very nice things about you."

Hot Spot frowned. "What sort of things?" he asked her.

"Trust me on this one, love. You _really_ do not want to know."

The pyro gently snagged the phone from her. Out of masochistic morbid curiosity, yes, he did want to know. Argent merely looked apprehensive as he read over the thread Argent had been busy rooting people out from, scrolling down the page. It didn't take more then a couple posts for his eyes to be smacked with the n-word, in the middle of an unflattering tirade about his physical appearance, interspersed with some choice profane language and a lewdly creative suggestion for disposing of him.

"Oh _. Charming_ ," he grumbled, letting Argent have her phone back.

"Told ya you didn't want to know." Her fingers flitted across the keypad quickly, typing up a quick reply of her own. The webpage refreshed with the new post. Argent had quoted the other poster and then added simply:

_Racist arse. Banned._

A couple more clicks and she followed through with her threat.

"Aaaaand goodbye NikatNight. I won't miss ya," Argent said as she finished the job. She looked up at Hot Spot apologetically. "Sorry you saw that." She waved her phone vaguely, gesturing with it. "If I'd known so many of my regular posters were such bloody awful people I'd 'ave never let them join."

Hot Spot shrugged. "Sometimes it takes a triggering event to reveal people's true character. Don't feel too bad about it."

Argent side-eyed him. "You're being awfully calm about this."

The pyro shrugged and moved past her to sit down on the wall of the median. "Used to it," he told her.

"Ugh," she just uttered, sitting down beside him. He took his turkey leg and passed her the fork and her chili nacho salad. Argent took them without enthusiasm and set the salad down in her lap. For a while she picked listlessly at her food with the fork. "It's just—" she spoke up again, stabbing her fork into a piece of lettuce. "It really stings, you know? You'd think my fans of all people would be happy for me, instead 'o being completely gross about it."

"Mmm," Hot Spot agreed around a mouthful.

"And why's it make such a difference anyway?" Argent went on, starting to rant. "I mean, we're both half-alien too, and superpowered, and that's not getting nearly as much—"

Hot Spot put a hand on her shoulder to quiet her. "Hey," he interrupted. "Stop it. Don't upset on _my_ behalf, okay? Let _me_ be upset about it if I want to be." He pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "And right now I want to ignore whatever racist drama there is on the internet and have fun with my girlfriend."

"But—" she started to protest, then sighed and gave in. "Never mind. You're right, of course."

"Care to say that again?" he teased. "I don't think I heard it right."

She elbowed him gently in the ribs, and he laughed. She tried to look disapprovingly at him, but couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.

The two of them ate their lunch in companionable silence. Hot Spot caught a glimpse or two of the paparazzi duo when he looked up from time to time, seeing them surreptitiously snapping pictures.

He made a point of clasping Argent's small, pale hand and sitting with their interlocked fingers clearly in view.

When they'd both finished with their food, Argent got up and took the trash to dispose of it. Hot Spot waited patiently for her while she made the trip and, as she was walking back, grinned and stood up from the median, reaching to wrap his arms around her slender waist.

"I have an idea," he told her.

"Oh?" She tilted her head, interested. "And what might that be?"

He nodded towards their paparazzi stalkers. "How about a kiss for the cameras?" he suggested. "To tell the haters where to shove it."

Argent's ashen lips curled upwards. "I like your thinking," she told him, raising her chin.

He leaned down. She floated up a couple inches to close the distance. Their lips met and melted against each other and Argent cupped his brown face with her white hands tenderly. Hot Spot waited until he was certain their tabloid stalkers were aiming their cameras at them.

And then he slid an arm out from the embrace and made a rude gesture with his hand at said cameras.

He felt very satisfied, once he and Argent broke their kiss, that the goatee guy was scowling deeply in displeasure. Goatee Guy turned to his partner now and starting arguing with him about something, likely their lack of stealth and inability to remain hidden. Hot Spot and Argent turned straight towards them, smiling, which only seemed to irritate them more. The pyro saluted cheerily, and then Argent formed a platform beneath them to carry them off into the air.

The picture of Hot Spot kissing Argent while flipping off the camera was later released to the photo gallery of an online gossip magazine, whereupon Teen Titans fans (the non-racist ones) were immediately delighted with it and turned it into icons and signatures and macros. The most popular versions had text that read some variation of the sentiment, "Sod off, we're in love." Argent later found one of these and gleefully started using it as her de facto response to any criticism or hate that popped up on her fan forum.

The drama died down soon after that.


	36. Sunrise

Argent shivered miserably under the quilted blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She yawned widely, her khol-rimmed eyes blinking out the sand of sleep.

"Tired?" asked Hot Spot, grinning as he came up to her.

"It's, what? Five in the morning? 'course 'm tired," she grumbled. "Why did I agree to this again?" she asked.

"'Cause you love me," he said, tweaking her nose affectionately. She made a face at that, wrinkling her nose in discontent. Hot Spot bent down and finished spreading their other blanket over the frigid winter ground. Some leaves crunched under his hands as he smoothed out the soft blue fleece. His arms made a grand sweeping gesture towards it, inviting Argent to be seated. "Your seat, my lady," he said cheekily, imitating her accent.

She sank to a seat gratefully, shuddering from the cold. "Guh. It's got to be eleven degrees out here!" she complained.

Hot Spot glanced down at his arm, looking for non-existent goosebumps. "It's not _that co_ ld. The dew on the grass isn't even frosted."

"Celcius, love," Argent reminded him.

"Oh yeah…" He shrugged. "Still isn't that cold."

Argent clutched her blanket tighter. "Easy for you to say, Mister Human Flamethrower." Leaving her grousing aside for a moment, Argent flashed her boyfriend a flirty look. "So you gonna come an' warm me up or what, Spotty?"

"You could have brought a jacket you know," he told her, even as he joined her on the blanket and lifted up an edge of the quilt so he could wrap his arms around his shivering girlfriend.

"I didn't know it was going to be _this_ cold," she defended. She leaned over and laid her head on Hot Spot's chest with a content smile. "Besides," she said, "isn't that what I have you for?"

Hot Spot smirked. "Oh, I see how it is," he teased. "You only love me for my body."

"Yup!" chirped Argent cheerfully.

She snuggled into the comforting warmth of her personal space heater. Hot Spot powered up, but kept the heat on low, so he wouldn't burn her or set fire to the blankets. He warmed the space between them to a toasty temperature.

Argent sighed happily. Her small body settled comfortably into his. The chilly morning breeze ruffled her hair, ticking Hot Spot's chin. The gray light around them was slowly lightening, turning to orange and yellow, as the bright disk of the sun crept over the far-off horizon. Shafts of sunlight started filtering through the trees, throwing shadows across the ground.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence together, watching the sun come up. A lone bird started warbling a sweet, happy series of notes. The sky blazed orange in the east, lighting the soft wispy clouds with pink and purple at their edges. The air lost none of its chill, but it was a pleasant cold now, nipping vaguely at their faces and the backs of their necks.

As the east became glorious yellow and the rest of the sky cooled to a tranquil blue, Argent tilted her head up at him.

"You know," she commented randomly, "you've been a lot calmer than you used t' be before you started dating me."

"What brings this conversation on?" Hot Spot asked, a flicker of fire crawling up his neck and fizzing out at the crown of his head.

Argent shifted position, curling her legs underneath her. "We could've never done this a few months ago. You'd have gone stir-crazy and set fire to something." She chuckled. "Probably me."

Hot Spot frowned. "Gee thanks," he said flatly. "Your confidence in my self-control is overwhelming."

"'s true," she said, shrugging.

"Not debating that." Hot Spot leaned forward slightly, picking a leaf of grass and pinching it between his fingers. He watched it smolder idly. "I think it's 'cause you mellow me out," he said, responding to her earlier comment. "The Titans and I figured out once, during this battle with Adonis, that small tiny cute things have a calming effect on me. Usually pets."

Argent pursed her lip, her dark brows wrinkling. "Not sure if I should feel flattered or offended by that."

"Come on, it's a compliment!" Hot Spot argued, slightly huffy. "It means I find you irresistibly adorable!"

She beamed, straightening like a bird fluffing its feathers for display. "Well _that_ isn't such a bad thing," she said.

Hot Spot flicked the burnt piece of grass away. "Tried keeping a few gerbils after that, and a snake or two—something low maintenance you know—but the gerbils kept escaping from their cages… and getting eaten by the snakes," he added. "So for a while, when I was working out of Morocco, I had a fish tank."

His girlfriend covered her mouth, muffling an inelegant snort and chortle.

"What?" demanded Hot Spot irritably.

"I'm sorry," Argent said between her chuckles. "Just… the thought of _you_ with an aquarium is just hilarious to me."

"Fully stocked too," Hot Spot told her proudly. It was rare he got to brag about his fish tank. He didn't even mind that Argent was laughing at the whole idea. "I even had a starfish. His name was Herman."

That made Argent laugh even harder and she fell back onto the fleece blanket, her arms clutched over her stomach as she giggled uncontrollably.

"Herman?" she repeated incredulously.

The pyro slid the quilt off his shoulder with a huff. "Look, when you have a fish tank with twenty-three different fish to name, _then_ you can poke fun at 'Herman'."

Argent made a game attempt to sober herself up, though she still bore a huge amused grin when she sat upright.

"Any particular reason why you picked fish?" she inquired.

"You mean as opposed to something more conventional?" he guessed.

She smoothed out her dress as she told him, "I always pegged you for more of a dog sort of fellow."

Hot Spot powered himself down and leaned back on his hands. "Dogs take more upkeep. I could leave the fish alone for hours and hours and they'd be perfectly fine. Easier to feed too." He straightened and leaned over to grab the picnic basket to the side of the blanket. "Which reminds me…"

Argent peered over his shoulder in keen interest as he flipped open the basket and started setting out plates and cups. He pulled out a jug of orange juice, a loaf of bread, several small jams and jellies, a container of scrambled eggs, a covered bowl of fruit, and finally, a plate covered with tinfoil that, when torn, revealed a heaping plate of golden pancakes.

"Ta da!" said Hot Spot with a flourish.

"Oh my…" Argent breathed in appreciation as she looked over the spread. "You _do_ know how to spoil a girl."

"Considering you, that takes some talent."

She stiffened, making an indignant scowl. "Hey!" she protested.

Hot Spot waved her off, handing her one of the paper plates. "Eat up," he instructed. "If anything's cold, let me know and I'll heat it up."

"Once again, you really spoil me," his girlfriend reiterated, as she dug into the container of scrambled eggs with a wide serving spoon.

The breakfast spoils were divided evenly between the two of them, and they made a substantial performance of their meal. As they ate and chatted, the pink edges of the clouds faded to white, and the blue of daylight spread over the rest of the sky. Birds chirped a chorus of trills and whistles. A bee buzzed around a nearby flower. They enjoyed their breakfast as the forest around them began to wake up. Argent's fingers grew a little sticky from spreading jam over her pancakes, which also smeared a bit around her mouth, messing up her lipstick. When she complained about this, Hot Spot grabbed her hands and sucked her fingers clean with his mouth, an act that made Argent both charmed and embarrassed. She tugged her fingers free after only a moment and just wiped off with one of the napkins, cheeks flushing and avoiding Hot Spot's eyes.

She estimated it was about nine in the morning before they finished, gathered up their leftovers and trash and set off again.

"Good date?" Hot Spot prompted.

"Excellent," she told him. "Couldn't have been better." She thought a moment and then amended, "Actually, it could've."

A little put out, Hot Spot turned to her and crossed his arms. "How?" he demanded.

Argent grinned. "Could've been less freezing."

Hot Spot rolled his eyes. "You are so prissy sometimes," he complained.

"You chose to date me," Argent shot back.

He ignored the comment. "So I'm guessing you want a repeat when the weather gets warmer?" he asked.

"Definitely."

Satisfied, Hot Spot put his hand in hers, hoisted up their things, and led Argent back the long trek back to the Tower.


	37. Pets

"Let's drop in at the mall, she said," grumbled Hot Spot. "I'll be quick, she said. I won't even buy anything, she said."

He adjusted the armful of bags and packages his girlfriend had him toting around for her.

"I really shoulda known better," he sighed to himself.

Oblivious to his muttering, Argent shifted through the rack of cardigans as she chatted amiably with the store clerk. She pulled out one or two and held them up to her body before deciding against, finally turning to the clerk and thanking her for her time and then coming to join Hot Spot near the door.

"Can we _go_ yet?" the pyro whined.

She sent him a cheeky smirk. "Why love, it almost seems like you're _bored_ or something."

"On a scale of grass-growing to paint-drying? Yeah. Pretty darn," he told her.

Argent took about half of the bags from him, practically skipping as she made her way out of the store. "Well _I'm_ having a blast," she said. "Pity you don't like shopping as much as I do."

Hot Spot rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's a real shame isn't it?" he snarked.

"Need I remind you, _you_ were the one that asked me out," Argent reminded gently. "And you knew I enjoyed shopping long before you did. You've got no room t' complain."

"Doesn't mean I can't though."

She shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, go ahead. Hope ya don't mind if I tune you out." She paused briefly to scan the directory. "There's one more place I want to check," she said, searching the list with her eyes.

"Of course there is," sighed Hot Spot.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

Hot Spot forced a polite smile for her. "Nothing, dear," he told her. "I'll be right behind you."

She beamed. "That's what I like to hear." She found her destination on the map and jabbed a finger to it, then looked up and scanned the area to see which way she should go, heading off confidently when she found it.

Hot Spot paid only half-attention as she rambled at him about designer trends and the fashions that were in this season. He didn't understand her at all sometimes. Most of these outfits she would probably never get a chance to wear, given their line of work, and she had too much in her closet to begin with. So apparently the point of these trips was the fun of it. Or perhaps enjoying his company. He could live with that one.

Though… he wasn't exactly being very pleasant company right now.

His mind wandered. He wondered when they'd finally be out of here and if they could make a stop in arcade so he could get something out of this whole…

The thought stalled in his head as they passed by the pet store. Argent continued on, still talking, but Hot Spot paused, torn. He really shouldn't go in but irritation had been roiling around inside him all day and he didn't want to just snap and bite Argent's head off and make her all upset and they were holding an adoption day and he really only needed two minutes, five at the most.

When Argent stopped talking for a minute and noticed the odd silence behind her she turned around, only to find that her boyfriend was gone, no longer following her.

She glanced around, puzzled. "Now where has he gone off to?" she wondered.

She retraced her steps, almost making it back to the directory before she noticed the pet store.

"Huh. That figures."

Argent stepped in, spotting her boyfriend almost at once, near the cat section. He had his back to her and had set her things down by his feet. She came up to him, ready with a quip and a teasing smile but the words faded from her mouth and her steps slowed as her coming closer revealed that Hot Spot was holding up a small, soft white kitten, barely a few weeks old, and looking intently into her large green eyes with longing.

"Oh no…" she groaned, already feeling herself falling in love with the small white face and fluffy short fur. "No no no no, we shouldn't. Herald has allergies."

Hot Spot turned towards her, puppy-dog eyes at full begging power as he showed her the kitten. "Can we? Please?" he pleaded. "I really want this one. She likes me."

Indeed, the little kitten seemed very nonchalant about the fact that Hot Spot was holding her, though she squirmed a little and gave soft, whiney mewls on occasion, like she was asking politely to be put back down.

Argent almost reached out a hand to pet her, but drew her arm back and resisted the temptation. "We… she might…" she stammered. "What would we do with her when we're gone? She can't just wander the Tower unsupervised!"

"We can lock her in the linens room," Hot Spot suggested. "It's nice and safe and warm in there and there's not a whole lot for her to chew on."

"And—and what if we get captured or we're gone for a while in space?" Argent protested, floundering for excuses so she wouldn't get too attached to the kitten. The impulse buying center of her brain was clamoring at her and she tried desperately to shut it up with practicality.

Hot Spot shrugged and adjusted his hold on the kitten, letting her sit comfortably in his arms like a baby for a while. "Maybe we can rig up the Tower's security to call a cat-sitter in case of extended absence."

"But—"

"Come on, Argent. Please? She can be our baby. Practice for when we have kids," Hot Spot argued, absentmindedly stroking the kitten's head.

Argent dropped her bags on the floor and clenched her fists. "Nngh… don't _tempt_ me like that!" she wailed. "You know we can't just bring home a pet!"

"But look at her widdle face. How could you say no to this face?" Hot Spot cooed, tickling the kitten under the chin.

Against her better judgment Argent looked. The kitten blinked sleepily, her whiskers quivering, then her eyes squeezed shut and she opened her tiny mouth wide for a yawn like a miniature lion roar.

Argent squealed, putting her hands up to her mouth as her coherent thought dissolved into an endless mobius loop of wordless gushing and inner flailing. Observing her, Hot Spot could practically see the exact moment her brain switched off. She gawped at the kitten with wide, adoring eyes, clearly barely holding in the long, " _Awwwwwwww!_ " she wanted to say.

He smirked.

_And… she's a goner._

-TT-

Herald sat at the kitchen table, reading the sports section of the newspaper. He noticed when Hot Spot and Argent entered, newly returned from their date, he expected. Both of them carried an armful of bags and packages. Herald didn't look too closely at them. If he had, he might have noticed the pains that the two were taking in surreptitiously hiding a certain set of bundles from his line of vision.

He could hear the two whispering to each other behind him. They seemed uneager to disturb him; Hot Spot was edging around the perimeter of the room on his way to the kitchen, Argent trailing after him softly. Herald felt vaguely suspicious, but kept his eyes on his paper, reading the week's stats and game scores.

Abruptly, he sneezed.

Hot Spot and Argent flinched at that, freezing in place a moment.

All of sudden, their cautious behavior and desire to avoid him made a disturbing perfect sense.

"Alright," he said, standing up from his seat and turning towards them with a glare as he dropped his paper. "Now, I _could_ be imagining things here," he allowed, sarcasm dripping heavily from his voice, "but I also could have just had an allergic reaction to something." He crossed his arms sternly at them. "Care to explain what ya'll might've bought that's causing that reaction?" he demanded.

The two looked very sheepish and guilty at having been caught and found out. Hot Spot held something hidden behind his back and Argent pressed the tips of her index fingers together, tapping them bashfully.

"We… erm…" she began. Her cheeks were slightly pink as she explained, "We may have… brought home a cat."

Herald stared at them a moment.

Glancing to Hot Spot, Argent nodded and the pyro guiltily brought his hands out from behind his back to reveal the cat carrier, which he unzipped and dug around in to show Herald their tiny new friend. The kitten's head lolled around, very confused by her surroundings, as Hot Spot lifted her up from the carrier and displayed her proudly.

Herald gave the little ball of fur a resentful glare.

_"Mew!"_

"I hate you both," he told them.

* * *


	38. Bedraggled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mostly just an excuse to have Hot Spot and Agent playing Mommy and Daddy. Insulin shots will be distributed at the end of the chapter.

"Isaiah?" Argent called. "Love? A little help here please?" She flinched, hunching over slightly as the kitten crawled across the back of her shoulders, her tiny claws digging uncomfortably into the girl's skin. Argent was reaching back but having trouble getting in at the right angle to get her fingers underneath the kitten's small furry body and lift her up.

Hot Spot glanced up and chuckled, standing up from his seat at the table and coming over to help extract the cat.

"Ow… owww…" Argent squeaked as the cat balanced precariously on her neck, nosing at her hair curiously. Hot Spot gently slid his hands under the kitten's stomach and lifted her off.

 _"Mieeewww!"_ she complained, one claw digging stubbornly into Argent's choker necklace.

"Come on, Snowball," Hot Spot cooed at her, unhooking the tiny claw from his girlfriend's necklace. "Let go. Atta girl."

Snowball squirmed a moment as Hot Spot adjusted his hold on her, tucking her against his chest. Then she sat, her head twitching this way and that, surveying her surroundings.

Argent brushed herself off and straightened. "Oy. Those tiny claws of hers are sharp!"

Hot Spot stroked Snowball's head with his knuckles. "She was just loving on you a little." Flicking his eyes down to the cat he gushed, "Weren't you, Snowball? Yes you were!"

Snowball began to knead the front of Hot Spot's chest with her paws.

"Ow!" Hot Spot squawked, as her sharp little claws poked through his shirt like it was tissue paper. Now he understood Argent's earlier squirming. "And her love happens to be very painful," he said, pulling the kitten away from his chest.

Argent's mouth spread with a wry smile. "It may be time to trim her nails again."

"No kidding." He held Snowball out to her. "Your turn to hold her still. I'll go get the kitty clippers."

Argent carefully took the kitten back from him. As soon as his hands were free, Hot Spot moved off to the kitchen, knelt down and rummaged through their newly-designated "cat cupboard", where they had recently begun storing all their pet supplies. Argent, meanwhile, sat down on the couch, setting the kitten in her lap. Snowball pulled her paws out from under her stomach and rested calmly, still glancing about the room. Argent stroked her back affectionately, scratching her behind the ears.

Behind them the door slid open for Herald, poor puffy-faced, red-eyed Herald, who looked rather like he'd been through the wash a few times. He blinked tiredly and crossed to the kitchen.

 _Sniff!_ "Goo' morging," he muddled, not even bothering to get breakfast, just reaching straight for the bottle of cough syrup.

Cringing apologetically, Argent twisted her head to look over her shoulder at him. "You all right?" she asked.

Herald came up for air after a long drag from the measuring cup. "D'you hagg t' agsk?" he slurred.

"I'll run a vacuum through the Tower," she promised. "And we're bathing the cat this afternoon."

"Thaggoo," said Herald. _Sniff!_

Hot Spot emerged from the cupboard, kitty clippers in hand, as Jericho also stepped in through the doorway. The mute boy stopped briefly, and took one look at Herald.

 _You look awful_ , he signed simply.

"I haggent nogiced,"snarked Herald flatly, rolling his eyes.

Argent lifted Snowball from her lap as Hot Spot knelt down in from of her. She took hold of the kitten's paws gently but firmly as she squirmed, and held her still. "Up you go, girl. Daddy's going to trim your nails now," Argent chirped.

 _"Miaaaaow!"_ Snowball whined.

"I know, honey, I know," Argent cooed reassuringly.

Hot Spot took hold of one of the tiny paws, murmuring, "Here we go." and brought the clippers up. The kitten continued to make closed-mouth whines as he moved the clippers from nail to nail, trimming her claws neatly. He was almost done when—

"ACHOO!"

The kitten started, jumping at the sound and breaking out of Argent's hands.

"Ouch!" she yelped as Snowball clawed her in the process.

Snowball hit the floor running and darted underneath the sofa before Hot Spot could grab her.

 _Sniff!_ "Guh… sorry," apologized Herald.

Giving up on the cat for the moment, Hot Spot stood, pulling Argent upright and taking a look at her arm. A long scratch ran up the inside of her wrist, blossoming bright red against the white of her skin.

"Yeah, she got you pretty good there," he concluded, pulling a smashed tissue from his pocket and blotting at the scratch.

Jericho, meanwhile, attempted to be useful, crouching down and poking under the couch, trying to coax the kitten back out.

Argent was calm, saying nothing and not even flinching as her boyfriend dabbed at her arm. He noticed this after a few seconds.

"Doesn't this hurt?" he asked her.

She gave a cheeky grin. "Not all of us have your baby-sensitive skin, Spotty."

"Hey, I resent that," he pouted. "Besides, weren't you squeaking about Snowball climbing on you just a minute ago?"

"That was different," she dismissed.

"Hypocrite."

She just shrugged. "Remind me to get my blood drawn sometime," she said, quite randomly he thought.

"What for?" he asked.

Argent nodded towards her arm. "Because I've 'ad a weird silver sheen to my blood since my powers activated, and I'm trying to keep a store of it on hand, 'case I need a donation and it makes things difficult."

Hot Spot glanced down, and squinted. Now that she mentioned it, he could see a faint silver gleam to her blood, from a certain angle. "Huh," he commented. "So you do." He finished blotting her scratch and crumpled the tissue in his hand, flashing a quick burst of intense heat across his palm to ignite it and reduce it quickly to ashes. "You need anything? A Band-Aid? Antiseptic?"

"Nah. 'm fine." She brushed her arm off and then leaned forward on her toes, a coy expression on her face. "Though I do know _one_ thing you can give me to make it better.."

"Oh _really?_ " he teased, sliding a hand around her waist.

When Jericho emerged from under the couch a moment later, holding up the kitten triumphantly, he found that the two of them were far too busy making out to notice his helpful gesture.

Jericho felt vaguely annoyed. He held Snowball awkwardly. The couple was quite lost in each other, oblivious to all around them as they kissed. Tongue appeared to be involved. Jericho would have cleared his throat to get their attention but, well…

 _"Mew!"_ Snowball squeaked.

That broke their kiss, finally.

"The baby's calling us," joked Hot Spot.

Argent gave an overdramatic sigh. "Such a _whiny_ child." She turned around and at Jericho's long-suffering glare, flushed a bit and looked a tad embarrassed. "Oh!" she exclaimed, putting her hands up to her mouth. "Er… sorry love. Were you standing there the whole time?"

He just gave an exhale and looked towards the ceiling as he extended the cat out.

-TT-

"Ready love?" Argent asked.

Hot Spot slid his helmet with its clear plexiglass face shield into place, and tugged up the hems of his elbow-length rubber gloves.

"Ready."

Argent took a deep breath. "All right," she said. "Let's do this."

He nodded.

They looked at the cat.

Snowball was sitting on the floor of the hallway, cleaning her paws and quite unsuspecting. Very carefully Argent formed plasma hands and reached them out for her, plucking her gently off the ground. She and Hot Spot held their breath as Argent slowly maneuvered around and through the bathroom door, the kitten held out in front of her. Snowball twitched and blinked a little, confused. Argent crept forward, slowly, to the tub, which was filled with about three inches of lukewarm water.

As soon as she was dangling over the water Snowball gave a great squirm and a loud whine, splaying her limbs out in all directions.

Argent readjusted her plasma hands' grip on the struggling cat and eased her down into the tub, whereupon Snowball's whines became high-pitched mewls of protest. Argent could feel the kitten slipping from her fingers.

"All right, she's in the water!" she called back to Hot Spot. "Now get in there and scrub!"

Armed with a small cup and a bottle, Hot Spot rushed in, dunking the cup and pouring water down the kitten's back. Snowball yowled with the most heart-rending upset sounds. They almost felt guilty for doing this.

Hot Spot quickly squirted some shampoo into his gloves and started rubbing the kitten down. She continued to squeal and complain the whole time, her little paws stretching for the tub edge.

Argent's face twisted at the pitiful sight. "I'm sorry but it has to happen!" she told Snowball over the splashing water.

As if to reply, _Like hell it does,_ Snowball hissed and sunk her tiny teeth into one of Hot Spot's fingers.

He yelped. Prying her off with his other hand, he splashed a little bit of bathwater at her. "No! Bad girl! No biting Daddy!" he admonished.

She was immediately chastened and contrite, though no less upset about the bath. She moaned and mewled as Hot Spot sudsed her up and then rinsed her.

Argent shifted her projections to one hand while she grabbed the towel and came forward. She tried to hand it off to Hot Spot but he was rinsing the cat one last time, and couldn't take it from her. Argent reached in to try and pick up the cat herself. But the cat squirmed abruptly and the tile where she set her foot down was wet and, well…

"That could have gone a lot better," Hot Spot groaned, from his awkward position half-sprawled in the tub, his front completely soaked.

"No kidding," Argent agreed, holding her mouth where she'd smacked the tub edge before toppling over Hot Spot into the bathwater. Snowball, meanwhile, was attempting to bolt for the door. "Come back here, love. You're almost done," Argent said, reaching out with a new plasma hand and plucking the kitten up by her scruff.

 _"Meeeeoow…"_ Snowball moaned pitifully. Her tail came up to hang between her legs, but she still wiggled a little.

 _"No,"_ Argent said sternly. "Mama Cat says you're going to be dried off before you go out."

Snowball went limp.

Argent smiled. "That's a good girl."

Hot Spot was out of the tub and on his feet by now. He extended a chivalrous hand to Argent and hauled her up out of the tub and to her feet. Water dripped off both of them to the bath mat and the tile floor.

"When you said we were going to bathe the cat I didn't know that meant we'd be taking a bath _with_ the cat," Hot Spot droned sarcastically.

She shrugged. "A minor oversight on my part." She grinned. "You have t'admit though, it was pretty funny."

"I'll agree with you after I'm dry," Hot Spot grumbled, grabbing the towel from her and patting himself down.

-TT-

Moments later the door to OPS opened to admit a very dazed-looking Snowball. Her fur was frizzy and stuck out in odd directions and clumps. She walked stiffly to the couch where Herald sat and hopped lightly up onto the right arm. She stretched and shook herself out, then sat straight and upright unsure of what to do with herself.

Herald glanced over and met her wide-eyed gaze.

"You look how I feel," he commiserated.

"I think she feels how she looks," came Argent's voice from the doorway. She entered with Hot Spot, who had his arm around her waist, hand resting comfortably on her hip.

"Great. We can be a mobius loop of misery together," groused Herald.

"You aren't sneezing anymore," Hot Spot pointed out hotly.

"I still hate you both."

"Yet, you're still on the team," snarked Argent. "So we must be doing _something_ right."

Herald sighed heavily, pulling out his horn. "If you need me, I'll be in a pocket dimension."

Within moments he was gone, and they were the only ones left in the room. Hot Spot slid around to face Argent.

"Alone at last," he purred huskily.

"Not in front of the baby, love," Argent protested half-heartedly, putting her hands on Hot Spot's chest, as the pyro leaned in.

"She's a cat. She won't mind."

Indeed, Snowball was sitting calmly, licking one of her paws to flatten her fur back down to her preference.

Argent grinned. She hooked her hands behind Hot Spot's neck.

"Well then…" she said, leaning in.


	39. Summertime

The hot sun beat down on their skin, warming the humid air to a blistering temperature. Only a faint frigid chill in the occasional wind broke the illusion of perfect summer weather.

Argent leaned her head back, soaking in the radiant heat from the safety of the shade cast by their umbrella.

"Mmm..." she sighed in contentment. "I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have a summer."

"Yeah," agreed Hot Spot, squirting another glob of lotion into his palms. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the seasons being opposite down here. Hot weather in June again feels nice."

Argent settled down on her elbows as she lounged across her towel. "I'm used to it," she said, "but I still vastly prefer this warmer weather."

"Me too."

Argent couldn't suppress a smirk. "No kidding eh? With a name like 'Hot Spot' I'd've thought you were a fan of frozen Siberian tundra."

"Don't get cheeky," he chided, holding up his sunscreen-covered hands. "I could still wipe this slime off on you."

"With how easy I burn that'd be doing me a favor," she retorted. She straightened up, turning her back towards him. "Speaking of though, how're my shoulders doing?"

The pyro peered at his girlfriend's skin a few moments. "A little pink, but otherwise okay. Here." He scooted forward, picking up the bottle again. "Let's get you another layer or two on."

He squeezed the bottle into his hands, warming the lotion up a bit with his internal heat before applying it to Argent's pale shoulders. The yellowish goop was lathered onto her sensitive skin, maybe a bit too thickly, but since the back of her neck was already taking on a few pink shades Hot Spot preferred to be careful.

Glancing down at his hands he chuckled.

"What?" asked Argent.

"We look kind of like a hot fudge sundae," he quipped.

She sent a look up towards the umbrella. "Romantic," she deadpanned. "I thought we'd decided t' cut out the food endearments and metaphors."

"We'd also decided I wasn't going to call you 'babe' and yet I hear less and less protest from you every time it slips out accidentally."

She shrugged. "Gotten used to it I suppose. It's honestly not even worth the effort of threatening you."

Hot Spot finished smoothing the lotion into her skin and held up an index finger. "Those are not threats," he objected. "Those are just you making playful banter."

"Oh _really_?" countered Argent in huffy disbelief. "Try calling me 'babe' right now and see what that gets you," she challenged.

He grinned cheekily. "If you insist... my bodacious beach babe."

She blinked at him a moment, blankly, and then burst into laughter.

"That's not fair!" she protested breathlessly. "I can't be mad at you with a face like that." She got her wind back and sighed. "Okay, you win that one. And you're right, I don't actually mind 'babe' all that much, I just put up a protest for the show of it."

"Do I ruin your reputation or something with my schmoopy pet names?" asked Hot Spot, brushing off his hands and putting the lotion bottle away.

She flipped her hair casually, putting on airs. "I'd like to think I'd cultivated a very convincing jaded, cynical, and no-nonense image." She winked. "Before you came along at any rate."

"Silly," he shot back, shaking his head affectionately. "Everyone knows you're really just a big squealy girly-girl."

"And don't think _you_ were fooling anyone with your, 'I am Hot Spot. I don't like touching. I am a lone wolf hero who is alone and lonely and by myself because I work aloooone' spiel," she teased in an exaggerated gruff Batman-like voice.

"I did not sound like that," he protested with a whine.

"Sure you didn't." She smiled and moved over, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Glad you decided to warm up to people again though."

He slung an arm around her, relaxing back on his free hand. "That was an _awful_ pun."

Argent's eyes widened and she smacked a palm to her face. "Completely unintentional I assure you," she said with a groan.

Sand kicked up near them as a brightly-colored beach ball bounced past. Wildebeest was right after it, toddling around on all fours like a big happy puppy. Herald and Jericho weren't far behind, and the teleporter paused briefly by their resting spot.

"Either of you two turtle doves gonna get in the water with the rest of us today?" he asked. He crossed his arms over his bare chest with a grin. "Or would you rather stay under your umbrella together bein' cutesy?"

"I'll probably join you for a bit," Argent said. "But I think Mr. Fire Powers here is going to avoid the water as much as possible."

"I'll wade," he corrected flatly. "But submerging is not happening."

"Well whenever you decide to do that," Herald said, pointing off towards the azure blue surf beyond, "we'll be by those rocks."

Jericho stepped up, signing excitedly, his green eyes vibrant and the sunlight glinting off his tousled golden hair.

 _You should bring your camera, Argent!_ he told her eagerly. _I think there are dolphins swimming out there!_

Argent lit up with keen interest at that, straightening slightly. "Well now, she said, getting her legs beneath her to stand. "That _is_ a real treat!"

Hot Spot nudged her back, helping her up to her feet with a small push. "Go ahead," he encouraged. "I'll be along in twenty minutes or so."

His girlfriend scooped up her camera from the towel and flashed him a grin. "Thanks love!"

Her bare feet scattered the sand as she scampered off, following her friends.

-TT-

Droplets of glittering saltwater kicked up as they chased each other around the shallows. Argent and Hot Spot trotted back and forth, knee-deep in the surf, tossing handfuls of water at each other. Farther out they could see Herald and Jericho, heads bobbing as they tread water, occasionally disappearing as they dove. Wildebeest was even further out, making friends with a pod of dolphins that chittered and nosed him excitedly.

Argent sent occasional glances his way, checking to make sure a riptide hadn't carried him away.

Hot Spot took advantage of one such occasion to splash water right at her face.

"Oy!" she yelped, stiffening with her hands outstretched and blinking furiously. "Ah _jeez_... that smarts!"

"Sorry babe. I saw an opening and I took it," said Hot Spot.

Argent brought her hands together and charged her powers. "Yeah and it just cost you your 'no dunking' privileges."

She lifted her hands and up came a large plasma bucket full of seawater.

Hot Spot blanched, his eyes widening. "Oh boy," he said, already beginning to back up as the bucket was hefted above their heads. It lurched towards him in the air, already tipping out its contents.

_Fwoosh!_

Instinctively he charged up and countered with a fireball. This had... mixed results, to say the least, what water not immediately canceling out his attack turning into a very hot, very salty small cloud of steam.

Which of course hit him in the face just after the actual water did.

"Gack!"

Hot Spot floundered about, flailing his arms, his eyes watering. Steam trails curled up from his body, his heat powers apparently trying to burn off the water he'd been soaked with.

"Oh gosh, are you all right?" asked Argent, running over at once to place her hands on his arms in concern. "Here, let me..." she offered, stepping back and forming a fan with her powers and wafting away the trails of steam coming off him.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he assured her, batting away the fan gently. A few more blinks cleared his vision, though his eyes still burned a little. "Stop fussing. I'm not hurt."

Argent's face wrinkled. "You sure?" she asked anxiously.

He blinked his eyes one last time and rubbed at them gently, reassuring her with a smile. "Honestly it really only stung for a second or two and it was mostly just kind of hot and uncomfortable." He finished rubbing his eyes and beamed at her. "I'll bet it looked hilarious though," he quipped.

She chuckled. "A bit. Maybe I should have filmed it."

Hot Spot nodded towards something he'd spotted on the beach behind them. "Think maybe our old tabloid friends have beat you to the punch."

Argent turned around to look, squinting and shielding her eyes to better see. She peered along the coast for a minute before spotting a familiar blue. Blue Cap's friend Spiky Hair was nowhere to be seen today, replaced instead by a chubby-looking fellow in a black t-shirt, awkwardly handling camera equipment. Argent studied them intently a moment.

"No... no, actually it doesn't look like they've got the cameras out yet," she told Hot Spot.

"Oh good," he said. "The last thing I wanted was to be YouTube's next viral video."

Giggling, Argent moved closer to him, touching his back affectionately. "Cover me if I 'ave a wardrobe malfunction would ya?"

"'Course." The pyro glanced towards the beach, noticing that Blue Cap and his new tubby friend had finally gotten their cameras in order. "So... are we officially out about our relationship to the media or had we not decided that yet?"

"Ah, let 'em speculate a little longer," Argent dismissed with a wave of her hand. She ran her fingers through the ends of her damp hair, quickly straightening it out in preparation for the first camera click. "It's funny when they get everything wrong."

Hot Spot slid an arm around her waist. "Well if you insist... babe," he couldn't resist adding.

Argent made a face. "All right, now you're seriously over-doing it."

She managed to turn her frown into a cheery beam just in time for the two of them to stage a pose for the cameras.


	40. Catching Up

"Oh good, you're back," Herald commented absently from his seat at the table, not even taking his eyes off his newspaper.

"We weren't even gone that long," groused Hot Spot. He turned aside to set a few bags on the counter—groceries mostly, but also a couple new kitty toys for Snowball. Beside him Argent had her own hands full, as well as a couple extra hands formed from her powers. The groceries she gently let down on the kitchen counter, while the small packages of carpet cleaner (to reduce the accumulation of pet hair), she passed over to Hot Spot.

Herald turned a page in his newspaper. "Well, when you're done, there's someone here to see you," he let them know.

"Yeah?" asked Hot Spot.

Herald pointed towards the front end of OPS. Standing up now from where he had been sitting on the floor, poking Snowball in the stomach, was a teenager with sandy blonde hair, wearing a turquoise jacket.

Argent gave an excited squeal.

"Cody!" she burst out, launching into the air and flying the short distance between them to wrap him up in a hug.

"Toni baby!" he laughed, not even stumbling or flinching as Argent knocked into him.

"Oh my gosh, it's so good to _see you!_ " Argent gushed.

"You too, Ton," he replied, returning the hug.

Hot Spot had to gape in surprise for a few moments. This _was_ unexpected. They hadn't seen Cody Driscoll—one of the other half-human, half-alien superpowered hybrids—since they'd all escaped from the H'san Natall. He'd obviously taken to hero work like them (there could be no other explanation for his sharp, sci-fi-looking jacket, gloves, and boots) and he had sprouted quite a bit in the height department. Not that he'd been much of a lightweight before but Argent would barely reach his chest now, if she were standing on the floor.

Immediately following his surprise was a mixed flicker of gladness and... irritation. A tiny hot spike settled into his heart and pricked him every so often, the longer Cody and Argent's hug went on.

Cody looked over her shoulder finally to send a cheese-eating grin back at him. "Hey Isaiah!" he greeted. "They told me you were heading up this little group and I was like, 'No way! Science geek Joto?'" He squinted, crinkling his eyes in confusion. "Wait, do you still call yourself Joto or did 'Slagger' ever catch on?"

"Actually I go by Hot Spot these days," Hot Spot said flatly, calmly straightening to his full height and crossing his arms over his chest.

_Aaaaand now I remember why I get annoyed around him,_ he thought. Even in the short time they'd known each other Cody had shown a fondness for playfully ribbing the pyro and Hot Spot had not always found it entirely... _endearing_.

"Hot Spot huh? Cool, cool. Probably gets you a lot of mixed results on Google but not bad." Ever the kidder, Cody flashed another goofy grin. "Anyway, how've ya been buddy? You don't really call or write so I've mostly only been hearing about you via Toni's e-mails. How are things in the big NZ?"

"Fine," Hot Spot replied, noticing the position of Cody's hand on Argent's upper thighs with a ruffled glare.

Evidently Argent had noticed too, because she pulled back her head with a slightly uncomfortable cringe.

"Erm... Cody? Dear? Love?" she called. "Mind moving your hand just a wee bit lower?"

Cody's eyes widened and he let go with an embarrassed gawp. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry!" he babbled, backing away with raised hands. "You—you're just a lot... tinier than I remembered."

Argent floated back a little, settling down lightly on her feet. "S'all right. No harm done." She glanced back deliberately at Hot Spot. "Right love?"

Hot Spot straightened, with a much more pleasant demeanor now. "Of course," he said cheerfully. "No harm at all, babe."

His girlfriend's face blanched with mortification. "Oh gosh, not in front of our friends, Isaiah," she pleaded.

From the kitchen table Herald snickered and looked over the edge of his newspaper. "You're letting him call you 'babe' now?" he chuckled, severely amused.

Cody rubbed the back of his neck casually. "So uh... I heard a rumor you two were sort of a thing now," he said, shy grin gracing his boyish cheeks.

"You did huh?" said Hot Spot, proudly sliding his arm around Argent's shoulders. He was in quite a better mood now that Cody—something of a shameless flirt the last time they'd seen him—had actually _not_ taken the time to hit on Argent. "Huh. Wonder where you heard that."

"Well we 'aven't exactly been keeping it a secret..." Argent mumbled.

"So who asked who out?" asked Cody. He winked at Argent. "It was you wasn't it, Toni? Always pegged you for the type to make the first move."

Argent's mouth twisted with a wry beam. "Actually, Hot Spot asked me out."

Cody lit up like a kid who'd realized it was his birthday. "No way!" he said. He reached for Hot Spot and before the pyro could blink had captured him in an affectionate, throat-pinching headlock. "Come here you little dork!" Cody chirped, rubbing his knuckles on Hot Spot's head for what he probably thought was a playful noogie. "Good on you, buddy! I didn't even know you had it in you."

Hot Spot wheezed through his mouth, arms flailing a bit helplessly. "You're about to squeeze it _out_ of me, Cody..." he rasped.

The other boy graciously let go, allowing Hot Spot to tilt back up to his feet and noisily inhale, coughing every so often in order to get his breath back.

"Congrats you two," Cody was saying. He looked at Argent and punched her playfully in the arm. Due to his enhanced strength it almost knocked her over but Cody was oblivious as he continued, "Just sorry I didn't get to you first." He sighed wistfully. "We'd have made a cute couple."

Argent rubbed her shoulder, grimacing. "Somehow I doubt that," she drolled.

The mile-wide cheesy grin returned. "Aww c'mon, Toni! You know you love the Codester," he teased, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She smiled faintly. "Like a little brother," she said.

" _Ouch,"_ he whined, flinching as though in pain while Herald and Hot Spot both burst out laughing in the background. Cody put a hand on his face, embarrassed. "Guess I deserved that, huh?"

"Let's face it, Cody, you're not really as much of a ladies' man as you put on," Argent told him fondly. "Sometimes you can give Isaiah a run for his money in the dweeb department."

Hot Spot abruptly stopped laughing at that.

" _Hey,_ " he complained.

-TT-

They spent hours in the common room, swapping stories, trading banter. Hot Spot talked about his solo adventures in Morocco, downplaying the danger when he covered his fight with Madame Rouge. Argent dished about her own hero work prior to being recruited by the Titans, as well as a few tidbits of news she'd heard from Audrey (recently taken to going by Prysm), the last of their fellow hybrids.

The sun was burning dull orange in the west by the time they wound down.

"So how's yer mum?" asked Argent, as Cody was gathering up his things to head out.

"She's good! She's good... We moved to an apartment in a nice little gated community. I think she likes it a lot better there," Cody replied. "She says she's proud of me but I know she still worries."

"Well she wouldn't be a mom if she didn't," Hot Spot said, idly stroking Snowball's back with his index finger as the kitten slumbered on the floor.

"I guess." Cody moved to get up from his spot on the couch. "Say, I just realized... I haven't sneezed once around your little fluffball here."

"Lucky you..." came an annoyed mutter from the general kitchen area.

Argent glanced over at their kitten. "Huh. You're right," she realized. "You're normally allergic to cats aren't you?"

Cody put his thumbs under the lapels of his jacket, popping them sharply. "Yep. But haven't had a fit in ages. Not even around Mrs. Worthington's long-haired sheddy Persian," he told them. "Think my powers made me immune to allergens or something?"

Hot Spot considered that with a pensive finger to his chest. "Could be..." Straightening, he became all-business. "If you don't mind, Cody, before you leave, could I get a blood sample? If your powers _are_ nullifying your immune system's reaction to allergens I might be able to synthesize a formula out of your antibodies."

"You can do that?" Cody asked in disbelief.

The pyro smirked. "I'm still a genius chemistry geek. It's about time I took a crack at the tubes and Bunsen burner again."

"Yes, that'd be much appreciated. Especially if you can actually _develop_ something," Herald piped up with a flat tone.

Hot Spot looked over towards the kitchen with a glare, "You'll have to stop resenting us _sometime_ , Herald!" he warned.

The teleporter made a rude gesture over his newspaper.

Argent took a moment to fix Cody's collar back down, fussily, telling him, "Do say hello to Audrey sometime would you? I'm sure she'd really love to hear from you."

"That'll be my next stop, promise," Cody said, batting off her hands gently. "It was great to see you two again. Don't be strangers, okay?" he said. "Drop by every once in a while."

"We'll see if we can fit it in our schedule," replied Hot Spot. He got to his feet and directed Cody towards the door. "That way, towards the lab, if you please."

"You got it, Doc!" Cody teased, practically bouncing along towards the door.

"All right, don't make it weird," Hot Spot said, following after.


	41. Cosplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH HA HA HA HA HA _hell_ this chapter hurts now.
> 
> /bitter

Herald and Hot Spot stared at the messy assortment of fabric bolts, thread, pins, snaps, and buttons scattered across the floor and two folding tables in the left corner. Argent bustled about, fetching pins from one side before returning to her seat on the other, stationed in front of a sleek-looking sewing machine that clacked merrily whenever she depressed the foot pedal. She worked on her project with a cheery smile, humming to herself contentedly.

She seemed so happily involved in her work that the boys were loath to interrupt her for quite some time.

Eventually they found their voices.

"So... are we gonna get our living room back any time soon?" asked Herald.

Not even looking up, Argent chirped out, "When I'm finished!"

"Got an ETA on that, honey?" Hot Spot piped in.

She squinted at her work with a pensive frown, briefly pulling it out from the machine and holding it up to look at it. "Well," she considered, "after I stitch the shoulder seams all that's really left is t'attach the overlay to the main bodice, and then of course finish up on the accessories. The belt sash is giving me problems, probably have to hand-stitch that one." She sighed, putting her work back under the needle. "I hate working with leather. Your jacket is going to be a bloody nightmare, unless I can find something workable at the thrift shop."

"I get a jacket?" an amused Hot Spot repeated.

"Yup!" she replied, grinning as she focused back on her sewing.

The machine revved up with a clatter and Argent guided her pattern piece under the needle with careful precision.

Hot Spot waited until she was done with the seam and the machine puttered silent again before asking, "So what's this for, might I ask?"

"You might indeed." Argent popped up from her seat, grabbing a piece of paper from the table and rushing over, thrusting the sheet in his face excitedly. "Look! Isn't it perfect?" she squealed.

Hot Spot had to lean back his head to focus on the paper. It looked like Argent had printed off a still image of the leads from the newest _Star Wars_ film, ostensibly as reference for her sewing, given the many, many notes she'd made in the margins.

He chuckled. "Cute."

Herald leaned over to look at the paper too. After studying it a moment he seemed to understand. "Ohhh... you're making matching costumes for the two of you?" he surmised. "This for that convention coming up?"

Argent beamed. "Got it in one!" she said, before bustling back to her sewing machine and grabbing up the pattern piece she'd just hemmed.

"Matching costumes..." said Herald, shaking his head. "That's so nauseatingly adorable I might puke."

"Oy, don't be knockin' couples cosplay," Argent chided him. "Takes a strong and happy relationship to dress up together."

"Or a shared sense of dweebery," muttered Herald under his breath.

Hot Spot elbowed him pointedly.

"Ow!" the teleporter protested.

"Let her have this," scolded Hot Spot in a whisper. "If it makes her happy, I'm glad to wear a dweeby costume."

Herald shook his head, wandering over towards the kitchen. "The things you do for that girl," he sighed.

-TT-

Argent finished sliding the sleeves up his shoulders and took a step back, pressing her fists to her mouth in nervous anxiety.

"Well?" she prompted. "How's it feel?"

Hot Spot flexed his arms, testing out the ease and length of the jacket. "It's just a little bit tight around the shoulders," he confessed. "And I'm still not entirely sure yellow is my color," he added with a low mutter.

She waved that off. "Oh pish, you look perfect!" She grabbed her reference picture off the table and held it up to him. "Mmm, it's not quite got the thickness I was hoping for but it's passable enough I s'pose." She glanced down at herself in disappointment. "Meanwhile _I_ look like an unmitigated disaster."

"Aw c'mon, no you don't," Hot Spot protested, putting his hands on his shoulders. "The costume looks like it came out fine to me."

"You're not the one who's had to look at these crooked stitches for hours on end," Argent replied sardonically, fingering the edges of one of the skirt hems. "I swear, I will never work with chiffon again."

"You can't even tell from a distance," Hot Spot insisted. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and guiding her into his chest for a cuddle. "Don't be such a perfectionist, Miss Prissy Pants."

She made a face at that, turning her head so that her ear rested on his collarbone. "You really think it looks okay? I mean, 'm not trying to win any contests here, I just thought... it would be really nice to dress up with you," she said, her voice dropping to a soft murmur.

"Why are you always so insecure about how you look?" complained Hot Spot. He sighed, letting go of the irritation he felt, reminding himself that Argent was a very body-conscious girl, had always been, was always worrying about her appearance and her clothes and, especially, her odd hair and skin. That was just one of her neuroses that he was going to have to live with. With conscious deliberateness, he kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into her hair with affection. "The costume looks great, 'gent. You make a really cute Rey."

She looked up at him, scarlet eyes glimmering. "You're not just saying that because you want me to clear my junk out of OPS, are you?"

"If you need to make some touch-ups, that's fine," he told her. "Just, uh... don't leave pins in the carpet anymore. I think Snowball stepped on a couple." After a moment he added, "And Wildebeest too."

Argent's face squished with embarrassment. "Oh. Is _that_ why I 'aven't seen him in here for days and he glares at me whenever we've crossed paths?"

"Probably. I was the one who had to pull them out of his foot." Hot Spot shuddered, his nose remembering a stench he would much rather forget.

His girlfriend grimaced. "I'm terribly sorry about that," she said in sympathy.

The pyro grinned. "You can make it up to me later," he said. "At the burger joint downtown."

Her face soured. "You know I hate that place."

He shrugged.

Argent sighed. "All right, deal. But _you_ get to find a lightsaber prop for me. Last time I was in a nerd shop I swear th' clerk was just salivating all over me."

"No sweat. I know a website."

"Of course you do. Geek," she teased.

"Dork," he bantered back.


	42. Scandal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for this was based off a plot from the 1999 run of Titans, where Argent learned her dad had been involved in some drug smuggling and had to reluctantly turn him in.
> 
> And Hot Spot and Argent's opening conversation is inspired by the Aquaman movie making me cry at Thomas and Atlanna's reunion. Yeah. The freaking _Aquaman_ movie got me. I was so angry about it.

"I still can't believe you cried at the last scene," Hot Spot was laughing, as they dumped their empty popcorn cups into the trash bin by the door.

"'s'not my fault!" Argent protested hotly. "Star-crossed lovers getting a tender reunion after years apart? You _know_ I'm a total sap for that!" She gestured agitatedly with her hands, angry at the circumstances that had led her to bawl in the theater. "And apparently the writers did too!" she cried. "Why would they even _do_ that t' me in what was s'pposed to be a cheesy summer blockbuster?!"

Hot Spot just placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her out towards the front door.

"Dunno," he admitted. "But it was kind of hysterical to watch you angrily tear up like that."

She scowled, then turned her head to face him. "'ow's my makeup?" she asked.

He leaned back a bit, squinting. "A little runny right under the eyes, but otherwise fine."

"Fantastic," she sighed.

"You need to make a pit stop at the bathroom to redo?" he asked.

She waved that off. "No point. 'aven't got my eyeliner with me."

"Really?" He was surprised at that. "Thought you always came prepared for any kind of appearance emergency."

She finally gave him a wry smile. "Well I wasn't expecting to be _completely blindsided in the heart_ by a vapid Terryl Johnson picture."

Hot Spot rolled his eyes. "Oh come on it wasn't _that_ bad," he argued, compelled to defend his favorite action star.

"Agree to disagree on that one, love," she quipped, laughing a bit as she leaned her head on his arm.

He mock-huffed. "Well fine, if you insist," he teased back.

They giggled, Argent snuggling under his arm as they reached the lobby and headed for the glass doors.

Argent's laughter abruptly dimmed and she stopped in place.

"Oh bother," she groaned.

"What?" Hot Spot asked, looking around befuddled.

She pointed out the door. "Pressies."

He frowned and looked for himself. Indeed, it seemed that quite a few news media personnel were congregating around the front of the movie theater, cameras and recorders in hand, the burly mall security guard blocking their way in with his arms out, gently pushing them back.

Hot Spot chewed on his lip, then glanced at his girlfriend. "You want to call Herald? Get a teleport pickup to avoid them?"

Argent thought for a moment, then smoothed her hair out. "No," she decided. "Let's just get it overwith." She kicked the carpet with her toe. "Just figures they'd've picked a moment when I'm not properly put together," she grouched to herself.

He shrugged. "If you're sure," he said.

They strode for the door, Hot Spot reaching out a hand to push the glass panel open. There was a flurry of excitement from the reporters as they emerged, and they barely waited for the two to make it past the security guard before rushing to surround them.

Argent composed herself into her usual professional veneer, a dazzling smile on her face, ready for anything they could throw at her.

"Miss Monetti! Miss Monetti!" a chorus of voices rang out from all around her. "Do you have any comments on the recent arrest of your father for drug distribution?" one question in particular rang out.

Except for that.

Argent's smile faltered, blank confusion entering her eyes, dimming the light within them.

"...What?" she blurted after a moment.

The questions bombarded her like missiles, flying all around her head.

"—involvement with high profile drug lords like Randoph Gregor?"

"Has Titans Oceanic taken any illicit funds from—?"

"—any connection to the proposed legislation to disband—?"

Argent's eyes darted all around, wide in the bright flashbulbs, bewildered.

"I..." she stammered. "I don't... I didn't..."

Hot Spot's mouth had dropped open at the first coherent question and now it set into a firm line. He narrowed his eyes, tightening his arm around his girlfriend protectively.

"All right that's it, back off!" he growled, extending his other arm out and trying to strong-arm their way through the crowd.

The reporters were undeterred, shoving microphones into Argent's face, flashing their cameras in her eyes. She looked numb with shock, unable to form a coherent thought or sentence.

After a few moments of struggling through the press of bodies, Hot Spot gave up and fumbled around in his belt for his communicator. He raised it to his mouth, still fending off reporters with his elbow.

"Herald, you read?" he said into it.

"I'm here, cool cat," came Herald's voice by way of greeting. "Watcha need?"

"We got ambushed by the press on our way out of the theater," Hot Spot explained quickly. "Argent's dad is in some kind of trouble or something. We need a quick exit."

The teleporter sobered up in an instant. "Be right there," he promised.

Hot Spot stowed his comm, then shoved a mic out of his face. "Hey get that out!" he snapped. "No comment!"

A horn blast sounded moments later, startled several of the reporters as a circle ring of bisected space appeared in front of their two targets.

Herald reached out through the portal and grabbed Hot Spot's hand, both of them pulling the still-stunned Argent through and to her escape.

"All right," Herald said, as soon as the portal closed up behind them. "That mass looked bigger and more professional than your usual crowd of papparazzos. What's going on?"

Hot Spot glanced at Argent, but she was still numb, walking slowly away from him and going to sit quietly on the couch. "Mr. Monetti got arrested," he explained.

From the kitchen corner Wildebeest gave a sound of disbelief and shock, and Jericho's head popped out from behind the open fridge door, his green eyes wide.

"Woah," said Herald. "Uh... okay."

An awkward, uncomfortable silence fell. None of them moved for several minutes.

Finally, unable to take the tension anymore, Hot Spot joined his girlfriend on the couch.

"Hey," he called softly, his shoulder brushing up against hers as he sat. "You okay?"

She held up a finger, squinching her eyes closed. "I'm... still processing," she told him. "Give me a minute."

He did so, letting his hand come to rest on her knee supportively.

Finally, Argent gave a heavy sigh.

"I didn't know," she said softly. "I didn't know anything. Mum didn't even call." She looked up at Hot Spot. "You think I should call her?"

"That is up to you," he said, leaning back with his hands up. "I'm not making that call for you."

Argent's face dropped into her hands. "Ugh," she moaned. "I just... I guess I always knew he was into some pretty scumbag underdealings but I always thought it was silly stuff like... like tax evasion and pay to play favors not... not _this._ " Her hands clutched handfuls of her red bangs. "I don't even know how to react t' this," she moaned miserably.

"Anything you want us to do?" Hot Spot offered. "You know we're all here for you."

His tone was so gentle and understanding. How did she even deserve him sometimes?

Argent emerged from her hands, drawing a slow breath in through her teeth. "Lemme call my mum," she decided. "And then I think I may need a long hot bath."

Hot Spot popped up from the couch at once.

"On it!" he promised.

Argent turned to look over the back of the couch. "And maybe a box of Frederick's chocolates from the store?" she asked hopefully.

He held up a stern finger.

"Don't push it."

She slumped.

"Drat."

As Hot Spot exited to go start running the water in the tub, Argent's mind drifted off into sober, quiet thoughts.


	43. Press Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing on from our plot thread last chapter, here be the fallout. I'll let you get to it and you can scream at me later. :)

Her heel bounced on the linoleum agitatedly. Hot Spot squeezed her hand a little tighter, and she looked up, managing a strained smile.

"Thanks for being here," she said.

She glanced around at the rest of the Titans.

"All of you. You really didn't 'ave to do this."

"Yeah we did," Herald insisted. "Ain't nothing Titans don't face together." He inclined his hood towards the curtain partitioning them off from the press room. "Including hostile press."

_You really think they'll try to disband us?_ Jericho asked.

Argent pulled her satchel of documents into her lap. "With any luck, we'll be able to quash that sentiment today. Lucky I saved all our monthly budget worksheets and bank statements eh?"

"For once your meticulous organization is useful," Hot Spot quipped. He squeezed her hand again. "We'll be fine, Argent. We know we never took in any money from your dad. We've got the paper trail to prove it." His eyes were serious as he looked at her. "They're not gonna break us apart over this. I promise."

"Wish I 'ad your confidence," she muttered.

Silence reigned for a few moments. Distant muted chatter drifted to their ears from behind the curtain, as people filed into the room beyond.

An attendant suddenly motioned to them, beckoning them closer.

The Titans stirred. Hot Spot rose to his feet, guiding his girlfriend up to hers as well.

"You ready for this?" he asked.

"About as ready as I'll ever be, I guess," she said, managing a smile for him.

He grinned. "Just be your normal unflappable self and we'll do fine."

"Long as you promise not to set anyone's cameras on fire."

"Deal."

They lined up in a row just off to the side, the attendant holding the curtain open partway in preparation for their entrance.

Argent took a deep breath, steeling herself. Her mind drifted back to the phone call with her father that morning.

-TT-

" _I really am sorry, Toni," he said, his voice breaking over the line. "I know we've had our differences and disagreements and I've threatened to bring sanctions against Titans Oceanic in the past but... you really must believe me when I say I never intended or wanted this to happen."_

_She sighed heavily. "I know. At least... I know that now." She lifted the receiver a little higher on her shoulder, scrolling through files on her open laptop, which was perched precariously on the edge of the kitchen counter. "But it doesn't matter how little you had to do with me before. The damage is done. I just hope we can turn public opinion back to our side with this press conference."_

" _I can issue a statement on my end, if that would help?" he offered._

" _What, swearing that you never sent a single penny, personal or otherwise, our way ever?" she drolled._

" _Something to that effect, yes."_

_She fell silent, mulling over a few things in her mind. Her private thoughts were bursting at the seams of her head, wanting to be let out._

" _Why'd you do it?" she asked, finally giving voice to them. "Political favors I understand, bribery, all that." Her eyes burned at the edges and she blinked furiously, holding back tears. "But drug-dealing? Distributing that—that trendy new stimulant? You know what that slapped-up hodgepodge chemical crap does to kids?" The Titans had seen a fair number of doped-up teens out late after parties in the last months, too dazed to run for cover when supervillains were on the attack, unable to comprehend shouted directions to move, a danger to themselves and others._

_Her father didn't answer for a long moment. Then he sighed._

" _I don't... I don't know, Toni. I got greedy. The money was good. Insanely good. Made public service look like chump change." He sighed again, his voice dropping lower. "I should've just turned my contact in the moment he approached me. You would have, I'm sure. You were always... better... than I ever gave you credit for."_

_The words were oddly touching. Argent felt herself sniffle._

" _Thanks," she said softly._

" _I'm sorry, Toni," he said again. "I hope you can make things right."_

_Her breath shuddered._

" _I hope so too."_

-TT-

The memory was washed away by a hundred white flashes blaring in her eyes. Argent blinked, squinting in the sudden deluge of light and stumbling a little on her way to the podium.

She let go of Hot Spot's hand in order to take point and take her place and was already missing the warmth of his fingers a second later. She wished she didn't have to be so formal and proper for this. All she wanted to do was stay joined at the hand with the boy she loved.

The room slowly hushed as the other Titans stood close behind her, attendants and handlers motioning for quiet.

Argent stacked her papers, and her speech notes, on the podium in front of her, adjusting the microphone a tad.

She waited until the chatter in the room died down to utter quiet.

Then she spoke.

"Good afternoon and welcome, Ladies and Gents. Titans Oceanic has..." She quickly filtered through the pages in front of her until she found the right one. "...prepared a statement, which I will read to you all now."

She glanced back once—only once—for a quick look at Hot Spot, who nodded encouragingly, touching a hand to the small of her back behind the podium, where the press couldn't see.

Bolstered, she cleared her throat and read aloud from her prepared statement.

"We disavow the actions of Mr. Monetti for his role in the production and distribution of the Class-C substance colloquially known as "Sprich" and strongly condemn his involvement in the matter. There are rumors circulating, as I'm sure you've heard, about whether or not the funding for our particular Titans branch had been corrupted by association." She raised her eyes from her notes to shoot a very severe look around the room at the reporters. "We are working openly and transparently with local law enforcement to prove that Titans Oceanic has never intaken any funding, directly or indirectly, from the offices of Mr. Monetti or his associates," she emphasized.

She pulled out a folder from her paperwork stack, holding it up to show the room.

"We are releasing a dossier of financial records going back to the team's founding to the public as a show of good faith to that regard."

She lowered the folder, her gaze drifting off. With a quiet exhale, she set aside her notes and leaned on the podium edges with her arms, her veneer of quiet professionalism sliding off to reveal the hurt daughter underneath.

"I am... deeply, personally disappointed by my father's crimes and hope to see justice done quickly," she added quietly. Her throat was tightening so she hastily wrapped up, straightening. "The Titans will assist in any way we can with the ongoing investigation." She gave final nod and stepped away from the podium. "Thank you."

She ignored the questions that bombarded her as she rejoined the other Titans. The police commissioner stepped up to replace her, waving down the room's shouting.

The man quickly had command of the press conference, going into details of the investigative probe that had uncovered the conspiracy. Argent tuned it all out. She didn't want to hear any of it.

Seemingly sensing her mood, Hot Spot let his arm ease around her shoulders. She leaned into him, resting her ear on his collar, staring morosely out towards an undefined point in the crowd.

-TT-

_I think that went pretty well, actually_ , Jericho commented as they left the building, the chilly open air and overcast gray light hitting their faces.

Wildebeest grunted in agreement.

Argent still looked glum so Hot Spot gave her an affectionate shake. "Hey," he told her. "Cheer up. We didn't get roasted nearly as badly as we thought we were."

She sighed heavily. "I s'pose not," she granted.

Hot Spot peered at her, narrowing his eyes. She had a distant, vacant look, like her thoughts were a million miles elsewhere.

"All right, seriously," he said, stopping them and swinging around to face her, both hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

She bit her lip, then sighed again, not making eye contact at first.

"I think... I think I might need a break."

A flicker of panic stirred in Hot Spot's heart but he asked for clarification first. "From hero work?"

She didn't reply.

"From the team?" he pressed, the flicker starting to increase now. "You're not quitting the Titans are you?" he had to ask.

She laughed shortly, smiling and waving that off, though she still didn't look him in the eye. "Oh no, no," she said. "Nothing like that. I'd never quit th' Titans. I just..."

She trailed off, gathering her thoughts a moment, before inhaling and finally meeting his gaze.

"...I might need a bit of a sabbatical. To clear my head, y'know?" She gestured out towards the government building with helpless hands. "Away from... all of this."

"You planning on leaving the country?" asked Herald.

"No... maybe..." She shook her head, putting her hands over her eyes. "Ugh, I dunno."

"'cause you know I got a few pocket dimensions you could hide in until things blow over," the teleporter offered.

Another laugh—genuine this time—emanated from her.

"I'll be fine," she promised. "Thanks anyway."

Mild irritation coursed through Hot Spot now. She was treating this all too flippantly. Was she just going to mope around the Tower for a while or was she going to pack up a dozen suitcases and jet off to some foreign island, and would she bother to tell them if she did?

"Look—" he started harshly. He stopped, took a deep breath to compose himself, envisioning Snowball curled up on a rug at home, and then continued with a softer tone. "Argent, babe, I know things are rough right now and you feel like you want to disappear off the face of the Earth. But don't, okay? At least not without telling me where I can find you again, I..."

He trailed off, an odd vulnerable note weaving through his voice, touching his eyes and the lines of his face.

"...I'd miss you."

Expression stricken, she grabbed both sides of his head, looking him in the eye seriously.

"I'll come back. Whatever I need to do, wherever it is I need to go, I'll come back okay? I promise."

Strained emotion warred between them, the others watching awkwardly, edging away, not wanting to intrude upon the private moment. It was clear that Hot Spot was struggling to keep cool, to not express how badly he didn't want Argent to leave, even just for a short while. Argent's eyes pleaded with him to understand, to realize she was hurting and needed to clear the air.

Finally, Hot Spot let a flicker of flame creep up his neck as he released his suppressed feelings, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I'm gonna hold you to that promise," he teased. "Don't make me come get you."

A small wry smile found its way her to lips, hidden from him as she leaned her ear into his chest, felt the warmth of his arms around her. "Dunno, I think it might be terribly romantic if you did."

"We're not doing the mushy romance drama thing," he told her firmly. "You just come home, okay?"

She nodded, melting into him, everything else forgotten for a moment.

"I will," she said. "I will."

And she intended to.


	44. Long Missed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, there was a time skip. No I'm not telling you how long. Long enough for Hot Spot to get mopey.
> 
> I did it for the angst.

The chilly night air prickled on her skin. Argent shivered, wishing the neon sign she was waiting under would give off more heat.

Tonight was quiet, like most nights. A few petty crimes here and there. One carjacking and a couple attempted muggings. It seemed there were no costumed evildoers eager to fill the void left by Daizo and the colorful criminal creations he'd had at his disposal thanks to Brushogun.

She supposed she ought to be grateful to the Titans for that, but the general lack of excitement in her work meant she was far too often... drifting off in thought.

Her mind was already beginning to creep far, far away, across the ocean...

Argent shook herself, curling her hands around her arms.

Would do her no good to stew in her own melancholy. Thinking of the Titans just made her heart ache missing them. Just made her remember the rug pulled out underneath her and how she'd been spinning around lost ever since. Focus. She had a job to do.

She keened her eyes down towards the street, observing.

Small cars passed to and fro, a few straggling late-nighters going home from work. The streetlights glowed dimly, casting odd shadows on the road.

Perhaps it was time to move to another observation post, she thought idly.

Movement caught her attention from a side street over.

"Finally," she muttered to herself, straightening and moving closer to the edge of the roof, looking down and spotting the furtive figures darting around the corner.

For some reason, the little jewelry shop on this intersection was a ridiculously popular target. Argent had been beating petty thieves off the place nearly every night since she'd gotten here. They hadn't ceased their attempts despite her presence, which made her wonder if the shop owner was either lax about security, incompetent, or just extremely unpopular.

The figure that appeared to be the ringleader—a scrawny young man, probably not even twenty years old—was beginning to wind up with a crowbar, taking aim at the shop's back window.

Argent stepped off the edge of the roof, already conjuring a plasma hand that deftly pinched the crowbar between its fingers and removed it from the ringleader's grip.

His eyes went wide. He gawped and yelped and his eyes got wider as he whirled around to see Argent setting down lightly in the street behind them, the crowbar dropping lightly from her red plasma hand into her real one.

"Out a bit late are we, lads?" she teased, grinning softly.

She took a quick glance at the others to size them up. Then she groaned, her brief excitement wilting. The gaggle of would-be petty thieves were all teens around her age. If they'd been adults she would have had no problem just settling things right there. But this lot of baby-faced kids?

"Good lord, you're all children..."

All she wanted to do was sigh and ask them where their mothers were.

She smeared her free hand down her face and then straightened. "Oh boy... All right, I'll give you lot a chance tonight, because I'm tired and feeling generous." Her eyes turned plaintive. "Please go home. I don't want to hurt any of you," she asked, each word sounding wearier than the last.

The boys jabbed at each other, hissing angry and incredulous-sounding Japanese. Argent could only pick up a stray word or two but from the tone she guessed that they were panicking and asking each other what to do now. The tiniest one was becoming slightly hysterical.

The ringleader shut them all down with a harsh series of words. He was slowly regaining composure, staring at her with angry eyes.

He barked a command to another of his friends—the largest of the bunch, naturally—and the other boy charged forth, barreling down on her.

"Oh for—" she groaned.

She flinched in anticipation even as she raised her hand to erect some kind of wall or shield between them.

A sudden plume of flame burst out, bright against the blue-black night. The larger boy startled, leaping back out of its way and whirling, throwing a punch blindly, but he was caught up in glowing arms that came around him in a headlock.

"Hey! It's not nice to body-check a lady!" a familiar young male voice chided.

Argent's eyes lit up. Her heart gave an unexpected leap.

"Spotty!" she cried in delight.

He grinned, angling towards her a bit, the thief still trapped in his headlock and flailing pitifully to get loose.

"Hey 'gent!" he called, as casually as if he was her next door neighbor out for a stroll. "Did you mind if I stepped in or...?" he asked, tilting his head towards the other thieves, who were flabbergasted now, frozen in place and gaping.

Argent chuckled, shaking her head, the feathery tips of her hair tickling her. "Was 'onestly just going to slap their wrists and send them home," she admitted. "But now I think I might need to call their mums."

"I gotcha," he said, releasing his captive to stumble awkwardly into the rest of the group. The ringleader was looking much less confident, and paled a bit when Hot Spot pointed a stern finger at them.

The pyro spoke in halting, badly-accented Japanese to them. Argent could only guess from his pointing back and forth what he might be saying. He gestured for Argent to hold out her hand.

She extended a plasma one.

Reluctantly, the ringleader pulled a phone out of his pocket and placed it in the palm.

Argent curled the plasma hand back to her, taking the device and flipping it open to look through the contacts.

"How was that?" Hot Spot asked her, stepping closer but keeping a watchful eye on the teens. "Robin's been teaching me phrases here and there."

"Well your pronunciation is terrible," Argent told him right off the bat. She looked up with a playful grin. "But I think they got the gist."

-TT-

Ten minutes later a single patrol car illuminated the confrontation between the boys and a couple of their very irate mothers, red and blue lights spinning as an officer took down a statement from one woman while the other angrily berated her son, who shouted back defensively.

The other three fidgeted, looking down shame-faced as they stood by the patrol car's bumper, waiting to be dismissed by the officer and allowed to go home.

Hot Spot and Argent watched in amusement from a safe perch on the rooftop. The ranting mother spat her parental fury louder and louder until she reached a point where she had to begin whapping her errant teenager with her clutch purse.

 _"Ow! Ow! Okaa-san!"_ the boy protested, throwing up his arms in a useless attempt to shield himself.

The mother spat one more final admonition before grabbing her son by the ear and beginning to drag him away.

Argent laughed, leaning back away from the edge.

"Oh gosh... I 'aven't had this much fun on patrol in ages!" she gasped.

Hot Spot turned towards her, grin on his face. "Glad I could provide," he said.

They stood smiling at each other for a pregnant heartbeat. Held eye contact one blink. Two blinks.

Argent felt her smile sliding away and stepped back a little, distancing herself.

"What, ah... what are you doing here?" she asked. "I mean, when'd you get into town?"

"'bout a week ago," he told her, also growing sober. "Started in Kagoshima and just sort of made my way north from there, looking for you."

"Where are you staying?" she asked, trying to ignore the giddy leap that thrilled through her at his words. "I mean, I'm renting a room from a family that lives in the suburbs. Three blocks east of here actually."

He pointed off. "Found a hotel room on the west side. Was kind of a nightmare to find a place that would let me bring Snowball in," he said, shrugging.

"You brought Snowball?" Argent raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Herald insisted," Hot Spot replied, a hint of his grin returning. "Said he wasn't going to look after a walking allergen factory while I was off 'trying to arrange a fraught reunion with my girlfriend'."

Now her heart audibly turned over.

"Is that what this is?" she asked, a hint of a blush tingling her cheeks.

And now the pyro looked embarrassed. "Kinda?" He took a deep breath and straightened, as though he'd been practicing for this a million times. "I miss you," he told her sincerely. "It's been lousy without you. Wildebeest goes around like a sad puppy most days, Jericho is even quieter than usual—"

"He's mute," she pointed out flatly.

"You know what I mean," he interrupted. "—and I've been aching and miserable and I miss your laugh and smile and stupid shopping trips and the way you wrinkle your nose when I call you a smoopy pet name."

His eyes crinkled plaintively at her.

"Come home? Please?"

From the heat in her face she figured her soft blush must be a full-on neon glow now. His words had brought up all sorts of warm confusing feelings that jostled for position inside her chest.

"Thought we weren't gonna do the whole mushy romance novel thing," was all she could say, muttering softly as she covered her hot cheeks and looked down at the roof.

Hot Spot scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well..." he said sheepishly. "I know how much you like that kind of thing so I figured it was the best way to convince you," he joked.

"You're gonna make blubber," she strained, her throat suddenly very tight, feeling the edges of her eyes blur.

"Well don't do that, you'll ruin your makeup."

She laughed. The tears lingered at the corners of her eyes but no longer threatened to drip down, and she swiped them away with a finger quickly.

"Arse," she teased. "God but I've missed you."

Serious once again, Hot Spot powered down, reaching for her hand, his brown eyes intense.

Very evenly, he said, "I don't want to spend another day without you, Argent."

Her heart gave a flip.

"You mean that?" she squeaked.

He nodded. "I do."

It took a few tries for her to scramble her thoughts into coherence. "Have... have you eaten yet?"

"Eh, I'm a bit peckish," he admitted, smiling.

"Let's do that first then," she decided for them, tightening her fingers around his, nervous pitters pinging through her as she turned to take flight from the roof.

Their feet lifted off and her heart felt like it was soaring along with them.


	45. Auspicious

Beast Boy kept staring across the table at them.

The pyro and the Kiwi didn't seem to notice, sitting comfortably together, hands entwined and listening—apparently attentively—to the Titans Network briefing. Beast Boy had tuned out long ago, starting around the point when Robin had started talking about crime statistics in each team's respective cities. He was saying something about the coverage in the southeast hemisphere now, but Beast Boy couldn't hear a thing, preoccupied as he was with something he'd noticed about the two Titans Oceanic members.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He glanced around the table to see if anyone else had noticed.

Several long minutes passed and the changeling was unable to stop the questions from burning at the forefront of his brain, growing like a painful itch. He was going to go mad if he didn't say something.

He glared at Argent, lasering his eyes at her face.

She was oblivious.

Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore.

"Okay _seriously!_ " he burst out, interrupting Robin mid-sentence. He gestured with agitated motions. "Isn't it bothering _anyone_ else?!" he asked.

Several confused pairs of eyes turned towards him. Robin himself blinked slowly, more bewildered and perplexed than annoyed by Beast boy's outburst.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"What's bothering you, B?" said Cyborg, from the changeling's other side.

"Them!" Beast Boy cried, jabbing a finger towards a very confused Argent and Hot Spot.

That just confused the other Titans more.

"What about them?" grumbled Speedy.

Beast Boy's mouth dropped. "Seriously? No one else noticed it?" he repeated.

"Noticed what?" inquired Starfire politely, tilting her head.

"Spit out whatever complaint you've got about us already, jeez," Hot Spot muttered, squeezing Argent's hand a little tighter, pointedly.

Beast Boy began sputtering, unable to form a complete thought, gawping and waving his hands madly. "They're—they've got—how am I the only—they're—"

"Dating? Yeah, have been for some time," Robin snarked, traces of irritation starting to creep into his tone.

"Not that!" Beast Boy snapped. His agitated energy could no longer be contained by his seat so he sprang up to his feet, waving around the crowded table, the eyes of all the other Titans following his wide gestures. "Has no one else but me noticed what they're wearing on their hands?!" he cried, voice shrill.

He rounded on Hot Spot and Argent.

 _"What—"_ he cried, jabbing a finger towards their clasped hands, "—are _those?!_ "

"Hmm?" Argent glanced down at her left hand. Spying the simple silver band adorning her ring finger, things clicked into place inside her head and comprehension dawned over her expression. Well of course _that_ would be what all the hullabaloo was about. "Oh _that,_ " she said.

She shrugged.

"We got married," she explained simply.

There was a long frozen moment of complete silence.

Beast Boy blinked in shock, twitching back. "Holy cow..." he said quietly.

"Say what?!" Cyborg burst out, blurting the words in disbelief.

"Yeah." Argent nodded, starting to smile from the looks on everyone's faces. Raven's eyes had widened slightly and Robin, Cyborg, and half of Titans East was staring at them dumbstruck. Starfire had lit up and was vibrating, eyes delighted, holding in her glee. Her own teammates had no reaction—they'd known of course—and the rest of the Titans just sat there blankly. "Ran into each other on patrol in Kitakyushu and just decided to get it done. Took a bit t' figure out how to do it—there was a right bit more paperwork involved than we realized—but we've signed the certificate and we 'ad a little private ceremony in a pretty little shrine and... yeah. We're married," she finished.

Another long pregnant pause.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Starfire exploded with a high-pitched squeal, throwing herself across the table to clasp Argent's hands, floating excitedly.

"Oh my friend you must tell me _everything!_ " she gushed.

"I wanna hear this story too, move over Fish Legs," Bumblebee said, shoving past Aqualad and making her way around the table.

The room dissolved into a flood of chaotic noise. Kole and Más and Menos maneuvered over to the happy couple as well, excited questions spilling over each other. Several of the boys leaned back in their seats, clapping and hooting congratulations.

Bushido was outraged.

"I was _right there!_ " he yelled, indignant. "I was literally two hundred miles north from you! _I could have been a witness!_ You never once thought to give me a call?!" He broke off into a string of angry Japanese, his arms swinging in sharp motions as he ranted.

Wildebeest grunted apologetically, putting up his hands.

"Did you know about this?" Aqualad asked Herald, looking quizzically across the table.

"Well... they never actually _said_ anything," he admitted.

 _They came back with the rings on and we kind of just figured,_ Jericho added.

"Who asked who?" piped Kid Flash, zipping over to stand at Hot Spot's shoulder. "Did you ask her, did she ask you, was it a mutual thing? Spill the deets Hotshot."

"I asked." Hot Spot thought a moment and then amended, "I mean, not in so many words, like, I didn't actually _say_ 'Will you marry me?', we just sort of finished dinner and were talking about what to do next and I said, 'Hey, you wanna drop by the courthouse and make it official?'"

"Romantic as a wet sponge, I see," Jinx snarked from her seat across the way.

Hot Spot popped up with a glare, tendrils of fire shooting up behind his head.

"Oh shush," Argent waved off, gently tugging his sleeve to stop him. "It was adorable."

Kid Flash grinned. "Well let me be the first to offer you many happy years to come," he said, pulling Hot Spot in for a handshake and bear hug. The two boys pounded each other's backs and then Kid Flash stepped back, pointedly elbowing a flushed, red-faced Robin in the ribs.

Robin managed to pull himself together, taking in a careful breath. "Yeah uh... congratulations," he strained. He turned his eyes down, coughing. "Way to make me look bad," he grumbled under his breath.

Hot Spot sidled up to the Boy Wonder, slinging a conspiratorial arm around his shoulder. "Aww that's an easy fix, Robin," he told the boy, whispering in aside to him. He winked towards Starfire, who was listening raptly to Argent's account of the garden around the shrine. "You just gotta ask her."

Robin groaned miserably, clawing both hands over his face.

Bushido emerged from his long string of furious Japanese to complain, "This is _twice_ now that Titans have hooked up in my home country and I've missed it!"

Argent was rubbing her cheek sheepishly. "Sorry Bushido. It was kind of an impulse decision?"

That just set him off again, but his pointed curses were drowned out by the questions and congratulations swirling around them.

-TT-

"Cause quite a ruckus didn't we?" Argent chuckled.

"That we did," laughed Hot Spot in agreement. "I didn't think we'd ever hear the end of Robin's lecture." He scooted forward a bit on the rooftop edge, dangling his legs. "Uptight little hypocrite."

Argent leaned her head comfortably on his shoulder. "Think half of it was him regurgitating everything the Bat must've told him."

"And the other half?"

She grinned. "Embarrassed that we beat him to the punch and got married before he and Starfire did."

Hot Spot wound an arm around her shoulders. "In his defense, I don't have as many hangups about relationships as he probably does."

Argent's face grimaced in sympathy. "Oh the poor dear. I feel bad for 'im."

"Ah, he'll take the plunge eventually," Hot Spot dismissed.

They fell quiet, letting the soft ocean breeze play in their hair. The early afternoon sun glittered off the waves, reflections dancing off the face of the Tower.

They sat for a minute, enjoying the quiet.

"I'm glad we did it," Argent said, speaking up. "I haven't felt so confident of a decision I've made in ages."

"Not regretting doing a big wedding and making it a whole deal?" he teased.

She waved a hand. "Eh, a bit. Would've liked to have a photographer at least. And maybe a more traditional dress." She lifted her head, shifting to face him. "But the important thing is that it's done." She gave a cheeky grin. "An' now you're stuck with me."

He rubbed her forearm affectionately. "No one else I'd rather be stuck with," he told her, surprisingly serious.

Light red dusted her cheeks.

"Sap."

His playful smile was back.

"Learned from the best," he quipped.

They leaned in for a sweet kiss, lingering in the contact for a long moment.

Argent's head returned to his shoulder and they nestled together, watching the sea rise and fall in complete contentment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thar it be. Thank you for coming along on this ride with me, readers.


End file.
